Pest guides

Warm weather for most of the year means pests are part of life in Cyprus homes. Cockroaches, ants and mosquitoes are the usual summer complaints, mice and rats look for shelter when the weather turns, and termites and wood-boring insects can damage timber out of sight. Gardens bring their own visitors, including pine processionary caterpillars in winter and early spring, whose hairs can cause itching and skin rashes. The Department of Forests advises not touching the caterpillars or their nests, so keep children and dogs away from them.

What you see depends on the home: a house with a garden on the edge of Nicosia or in a Paphos village, a seafront block in Larnaca or Limassol with shared bin areas and drains, or a holiday home that stays closed for months and is only checked now and then.

These guides explain what a professional treatment visit involves, how to prepare the home and keep children and pets safe, who is allowed to apply professional pest control products in Cyprus, and the questions to ask before you book. Between visits, the basics do a lot of the work: seal gaps around pipes and doors, fix drips, and keep food and rubbish out of reach. Treatment alone rarely lasts if pests keep finding food, water and a way in.

Written by The Ergo team