Gecko control in Al Hijrah, 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 Hijrah

Ground and second floor flats are far more exposed to geckos than upper storeys, and the entry usually comes through gaps between buildings and the shared entrance hallway. The method is set out in full on how we approach Gecko control.

The first reason

Close-built apartments and shared passages

Flats that adjoin each other offer geckos easy passage between units through narrow gaps and entrances. Treating a single flat does not stop entry from neighbouring flats, and treatment must cover shared entrances and the external walkways where they rest.

The second reason

Rocky mountain and natural crevices

Jabal Thawr rises directly above and beside the blocks and offers deep natural shelter and crevices that run under the foundations. Geckos do not need to enter from the street at all; they descend straight from the mountain into the gaps between bases and walls.

The third reason

Lower storeys and direct descent

Ground and second floor flats receive geckos directly from the mountain and the gaps outside. Upper storeys are less exposed but not safe, because geckos can descend the building facade if insects are present there.

Landmarks of Al Hijrah

Treatment of Al Hijrah starts at the shared entrances and external walkways, reaching into the gaps between Jabal Thawr and the building bases, with work close to the Cave of Thawr above and Al Noor Specialist Hospital adjoining the block.

Jabal Thawr
Cave of Thawr
Al Noor Specialist Hospital
Third Ring Road
Dhat An Nitaqain Street
Al Bukhari Mosque

Before treatment

The food, the opening and the crevice decide the method

The rocky mountain immediately behind and beside the apartment blocks provides natural gecko shelter, and the close-packed buildings create easy passages for geckos to move between adjacent flats.

A small house gecko resting on a pale wall

The house gecko

The house gecko in Al Hijrah descends straight from Jabal Thawr into the external gaps, so its source is the mountain, not the cleanliness of the flat.

Outdoor lighting

Exterior lighting on shared entrances and walkways draws insects, turning the passages into feeding stations where geckos hunt all night.

An insect screen on a window, seen close up

Window mesh

Windows and mesh on flats close to external walkways may be perforated or worn, and repair needs regular attention.

Air-conditioner pipes passing through an outside wall

The air-conditioner sleeve

Air-con and fan openings on walls against the mountain offer geckos entry if gaps around the pipes are not sealed tight.

An electrical distribution board mounted on a wall

Meter boxes and electrical panels

Meter boxes and electrical panels in shared entrances may sit around gaps that let geckos enter from outside.

A garden wall with watered planting beside it

The garden and the irrigation

Garden space and the little irrigation in common ground round the block attracts small insects that feed the geckos.

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 Shawqiyah Sub-Municipality

Al Shawqiyah sub municipality runs south from the Third Ring Road to the city's edge on the Al Layth road and the Jeddah expressway. Planned districts such as Al Shawqiyah, Al Malik Fahd and Bathaa Quraish have wide streets, villas and apartment blocks, while schemes in Wali Al Ahd are being built out and informal housing in Al Ukayshiyah and Al Zuhur is being cleared. The vegetable market and livestock auction at Souq Al Halaqa, open construction sites, the rocky slopes of Jabal Thawr and sewers still being laid through the southern fringe offer exposed food, shelter and moisture.

Questions about this district

Will treating only my flat stop geckos coming in from my neighbour's in Al Hijrah?

No, because geckos move between flats through shared gaps, external walkways and roof surfaces. Real treatment needs coordination with neighbours or at least treating the shared entrance and walkways.

Why are ground and second floor flats so much worse than upper storeys here?

The mountain beside the block gives geckos a direct path to the lower storeys, and external gaps sit closer to the ground. Upper flats need the gecko to climb, which is far less likely.

Are the rocks and the mountain the sole source of geckos in the building?

The mountain is a strong source but not the only one. Insects that feed geckos may come from the gaps between buildings and from nearby streets. Treatment must focus first on shared entrances and external walkways.

How many visits does a flat in Al Hijrah need if my neighbour will not cooperate?

At least monthly at first, because geckos will return from the next flat and from the mountain. But if you can also treat the shared entrance, visits may drop to every two or three months.

Is the flat roof of the block a source of the geckos I am seeing inside?

The roof may supply insects and shelter for geckos, but it is not the main entry point. Treating the roof helps but treatment on entrances and walkways has far more impact.

Is sealing gaps round pipes enough if the mountain is right beside the building?

Sealing helps but is not enough alone, because geckos can enter through other gaps on the face of the wall that sits against the mountain. Regular treatment of external walkways and shared entrances is essential.

How much does gecko control in Al Hijrah 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 Hijrah.