Gecko control in Al Bayban, Makkah

Targeted, not broadcast

Product goes into cracks and runways, never sprayed across open surfaces.
Told before we start

What we will use, where it goes, and what to cover or move before we arrive.
A follow-up visit

We return after the first treatment, because what survives it does not show on the day.
Homes and businesses

Apartments and villas, and kitchens and stores that need a record of each visit.

Why they keep coming back in Al Bayban

The deep cracks in old sandstone in Al Bayban provide shelter almost unreachable, and cemented eggs hidden in them may only hatch weeks later, undetected by previous treatments. The method is set out in full on our Gecko control service.

The first reason

Sandstone and coral stone contain extremely deep natural cracks

Old buildings constructed from local sandstone and coral stone contain fine and deeply running natural fissures in the structure itself. Geckos hide in these deep narrow cracks that are nearly impossible to reach even with modern equipment, and cemented eggs may be completely protected from pesticides.

The second reason

Tightly set buildings with shared roofs permit gecko movement between homes

Homes are pressed together in the quarter with rooflines shared between neighbours and gaps between buildings so narrow they barely admit a person. Geckos move freely across these shared roofs and through narrow gaps from one home to the next without descending to street level.

The third reason

Narrow winding lanes prevent treatment vehicle access and limit effective coverage

Lanes are extremely narrow and winding, and treatment vehicles cannot enter. Work must be done on foot with hand carried equipment and long hose runs, which limits work speed and may leave some zones untreated completely.

The character of Al Bayban

Historic district: close-set buildings, narrow lanes and ageing services

Historic districts mean stone buildings not concrete, and natural stone cracks provide complex shelter difficult to treat, requiring patience and phased treatment over long periods because eggs may hatch in multiple phases from very deep cracks.

Before treatment

The food, the opening and the crevice decide the method

The quarter is built on a hill in local stone and lime, with buildings pressed tightly together, shared rooflines between neighbours, and natural cracks in old stone that run deep into the structure.

A small house gecko resting on a pale wall

The house gecko

House geckos in old stone houses hide in deep cracks inside the stone structure itself, not merely on the surface or in surface fissures.

Outdoor lighting

Exterior lighting in the old quarter is limited, but light from windows and doors may attract insects that feed geckos.

An insect screen on a window, seen close up

Window mesh

Window mesh and screening on old windows may exist but stone cracks offer alternative entry routes superior to any net barrier.

Air-conditioner pipes passing through an outside wall

The air-conditioner sleeve

Air conditioning openings on old houses may not exist, and natural ventilation from windows and doors may provide gecko entry points.

An electrical distribution board mounted on a wall

Meter boxes and electrical panels

Stone foundations on old houses may be worst of all, containing very deep cracks running below ground level.

A garden wall with watered planting beside it

The garden and the irrigation

Gardens may not exist, but the tight spaces between houses retain high moisture that attracts insects.

How we work

1
Inspect at night and find the source

We come at the hour it is actually moving, and establish which wall face it is living on, which lights are gathering its food, the entry points and the crevices it wedges into by day.
2
Treat the food source

We treat the flying and crawling insects on the wall faces, around the perimeter and around the lighting. Once the food goes, the wall stops being worth staying on.
3
Close the openings and clear the crevices

We seal the air-conditioner sleeve, screen the vents and drain outlets, deal with the underside of doors, and place a repellent in the crevices and behind panels so they move out before anything is closed.
4
The follow-up visit

We come back once the glued eggs have hatched, check the seals held, and re-treat any wall face where activity has returned.

What gecko control includes

A recorded night inspection

Wall faces, lighting, entry points and egg sites, all established before anything is applied.
Treating the insects on the walls

Targeted treatment around lighting, windows and the building perimeter, because the food is what keeps it there.
Placed repellent in the crevices

Behind panels, in wall joints and at the ceiling-void entries, where it sits out the day.
Screening vents and drain openings

Shafts, vents and the condensate outlet, which are entry points nobody looks at.
Aftercare instructions

Ventilation, what to cover, and the change to the outside lighting that stops the insects gathering again.
A scheduled follow-up

A set date after the first treatment, a check on the seals and re-treatment of anything still active.

What is different about Al Utaybiyah Sub-Municipality

Al Utaybiyah sub municipality covers the old districts north of the Grand Mosque: the hillside quarters of Al Hajun, Al Utaybiyah and Al Bayban, Al Zahir and Al Shuhada at the northern entrance, and the newer Al Zahra, Al Diyafah and An Nuzhah westward. Its building stock is among the oldest in Makkah, stone houses on the hills, packed apartment blocks and sewers decades old, threaded with crowded markets like the Utaybiyah souq and furnished flats that fill in the pilgrim seasons. Wadi Al Zahir and Wadi Al Tanim carry storm water through it, and industrial workshops line Hajj Street.

Questions about this district

Do stone cracks offer better gecko shelter than concrete cracks?

Yes, natural stone cracks are deeper and more complex than concrete fissures, and may offer eggs better protection from pesticides. Pesticide may not reach the very narrow depths of stone cracks.

Do shared roofs between old houses ease gecko movement between homes?

Very much so, shared roofs provide safe routes between neighbouring homes, and geckos need not descend to street level. Treating one house alone may not solve the problem if shared roofs are not treated.

Do extremely narrow lanes actually prevent effective gecko treatment work?

Yes, narrow lanes block treatment vehicles, and work must be done on foot with hand carried equipment. This limits work speed and efficiency in certain areas.

How often must old houses in these historic quarters be treated before geckos clear?

Usually four to five treatments over weeks or months, because deep stone cracks may hold eggs hatching in multiple phases. Each treatment targets a different life stage.

Are very old houses considerably worse than buildings only a few decades old?

Yes, very old houses offer deeper and more numerous cracks, and may have sheltered geckos for generations. Complex cracks make treatment more difficult and results slower.

Can we seal every crack in old coral stone walls?

Sealing every crack may not be fully possible in very old stone without destroying the architectural integrity. Ongoing treatment and monitoring may be more realistic than attempting to seal every fissure.

How much does gecko control in Al Bayban cost?

It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Al Bayban.