When a Brooklyn property has more than one insect problem, or you simply don't know what you're looking at, the best approach is a single inspection followed by one treatment plan that covers everything we find. That's what our general insect control service is for. It suits family homes, rented houses and the many converted homes now used as offices, practices and diplomatic premises.
Why one plan works better than five
In older Brooklyn buildings, insect problems tend to overlap. A cracked drain can bring in American cockroaches, drain flies and centipedes. A storeroom of cardboard boxes can hold fishmoths, cockroaches and pantry beetles at the same time. Big trees around the house feed ants, spiders and the mosquitoes breeding in leaf-filled gutters. Treating each insect separately, on different days, with different products, wastes time and money. One visit that looks at the whole building, and one plan that deals with the causes, is quicker and more effective.
What we commonly find in Brooklyn
- Kitchens and tea rooms: German cockroaches, ants and fruit flies.
- Bathrooms, laundries and drains: American cockroaches, drain flies, centipedes and fishmoths.
- Bookshelves, archives and storerooms: fishmoths and the odd cockroach in boxes.
- Pantries: weevils, flour beetles and pantry moths.
- Outside walls, eaves and gardens: spiders, wasps, ants and, after rain, millipedes.
- Bedrooms: occasionally fleas, bed bugs or bird mites, which we treat with targeted methods.
How the service works
- Inspection. We go through the building and garden, identify each insect, and find where it's breeding or hiding and why.
- A clear plan. We explain what we found and what we'll treat, in plain language.
- Targeted treatment. Gel baits for cockroaches in kitchens, ant baits along trails, odourless, non-staining residual sprays in cracks, voids and around the outside of the building, and targeted nest treatment for wasps where needed.
- Practical advice. Most insect problems have a cause you can fix: a leak, a drain, stored cardboard, a compost heap by the door.
- Follow-up where it's needed, for example for cockroach eggs that hatch after the first visit.
You don't need to move out. Keep children and pets off treated surfaces until they've dried. For rented houses with several occupants, it helps if everyone knows the visit is happening, so cupboards can be opened and rooms accessed on the day, rather than leaving one locked room as a refuge for the insects.
For offices, practices and embassies
Commercial buildings in Brooklyn often need a different rhythm. Staff, clients and visitors come and go every day, food is prepared in shared kitchens, and paper is stored for years. A scheduled service keeps insect activity under control with regular visits, a record of each one and early warning of new problems. We plan visits around working hours and arrange access in advance to fit security procedures. Many organisations also prefer low-impact methods, which is why our approach relies on baits and precise crack-and-void treatments rather than broad spraying. Our article on eco-friendly pest control in Pretoria explains the thinking.
The mistake we see most
Using a general-purpose insect spray on everything. It's convenient, but it repels cockroaches from bait, kills ant foragers before they reach the nest, and doesn't touch insects living in voids or drains. Each insect needs its own approach, which is the whole point of identifying them first.
A tip for older Brooklyn homes
Walk around the outside of your house after the first summer storm. Where water pools against the walls, where gutters overflow and where leaves pile up are the places most insects will gather that season. Fixing drainage and clearing those spots does more to prevent insect problems than any single treatment.
What does insect control cost?
The cost depends on the size of the building, how many different insects there are, how widespread they are and whether it's a once-off visit or a regular service. A house with ants and a few cockroaches is a simple job. A multi-storey office with kitchens, archives and a garden is quoted to fit. If we find that a problem is minor and easy to manage yourself, we'll say so.
Look at our insect control across Pretoria for more detail, or our Waterkloof insect service if you're on the ridge. If your main concern is cockroaches, ants or other ground-level pests, see crawling insects in Brooklyn, and for flies, wasps and mosquitoes, our Brooklyn flying insect treatments. Every local service is listed on our Brooklyn page. We're SAPCA registered with 25 years of experience. If an insect we've treated returns within 3 months, we come back under our guarantee. Ring 012 012 5526, or send a photo of the insect on WhatsApp.
Questions we get asked
What if I don't know what insect I have?
That's what the inspection is for. You can also WhatsApp us a photo first, and we'll tell you what it is and whether you need a treatment.
Can you treat several insects in one visit?
Yes. Our general insect service covers everything we find during the inspection, in one plan, rather than separate visits for each pest.
Is the treatment suitable for an embassy or office?
Yes. We use odourless, non-staining products, baits and targeted treatments, and schedule visits around working hours and security procedures.
How often should an office be serviced?
It depends on the building and its use. Buildings with kitchens and food areas usually need more frequent visits than offices without them. We'll recommend a schedule after the first inspection.
Do insect treatments smell?
No. We use odourless products, so you can carry on with normal life, work or trading after treatment.
Do you treat outside as well as inside?
Yes. Many insects come in from the garden, gutters and drains, so the outside of the building is part of the plan.