Gecko control in Al Zahra, 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 Zahra

Geckos in Al Zahra move through gaps in shared walls more than they crawl on exterior surfaces, and upper flats face exactly the same exposure as lower ones. The method is set out in full on the full Gecko control page.

The first reason

Shared walls and gaps between them

Closely built blocks in Al Zahra create shared walls where sealing gaps is difficult, and the gaps around pipes and wires between buildings provide safe gecko passages that cross between neighbouring homes.

The second reason

Wadis, floods and lingering moisture

Wadi Al Zahir and Wadi Al Tanim carry flood water through the district after rain, and the moisture and silt that remain attract worms and insects that worsen gecko pressure after each downpour.

The third reason

Furnished seasonal flats and constant turnover

Furnished flats in Al Zahra fill during pilgrimage seasons and empty quickly. Constant occupant changes and open doors seeking ventilation give geckos and insects safe entry.

Landmarks of Al Zahra

In Al Zahra work can be organised along two lines: flats closer to Al Mansour Bridge, which need swift treatment, and the blocks deeper along Abdullah Arif Road, which need deeper work because of gaps between buildings and the wadis.

Umm Al Qura Road
Al Mansour Street
Al Mansour Bridge
Abdullah Arif Road
Hussain Arab Street

Before treatment

The food, the opening and the crevice decide the method

Al Zahra sits within Al Utaybiyah sub municipality, known for old drainage networks, aged buildings and high population density. The packed apartment blocks present particular difficulty in sealing gaps between them.

A small house gecko resting on a pale wall

The house gecko

The house gecko in Al Zahra hides in cracks between shared walls and gaps around electrical conduits between buildings rather than in corners deep within a single flat.

Outdoor lighting

Lights on roofs and upper passages attract strong insect concentrations at night, drawing geckos upward in search of insects before they descend into flats.

An insect screen on a window, seen close up

Window mesh

Window mesh on flats is not enough if gaps in shared walls stay open, feeding geckos entry from neighbouring flats.

Air-conditioner pipes passing through an outside wall

The air-conditioner sleeve

Air-conditioner sleeve gaps between flats provide direct gecko entry from the adjacent flat, and sealing here needs special attention because pesticide alone is insufficient.

An electrical distribution board mounted on a wall

Meter boxes and electrical panels

Electrical panels and meters in shared passages and flats provide light and deep cracks where geckos shelter. Treatment must target these areas first.

A garden wall with watered planting beside it

The garden and the irrigation

Empty ground spaces on roofs, gaps between buildings and areas around foundations supply moisture and insects, making buildings overlooking them face continuous gecko pressure.

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

Will treating one flat stop geckos if neighbouring flats and adjacent blocks remain untreated?

No. Geckos move easily between neighbouring flats through shared gaps and unsealed walls. Treating a single flat cannot stop gecko entry from adjacent blocks.

How many visits does an apartment block like this usually need in total?

A dense block with many flats and shared passages needs at least two visits per season: one for common areas and passages, one for individual flats, with a possible follow-up after two weeks.

Do floods after heavy rain increase geckos in Al Zahra because of the wadis?

Yes. Floods bring water, silt and new insects into the area, and lingering post-flood moisture creates ideal conditions for insect and worm breeding that attracts geckos.

Do furnished flats during pilgrimage season attract more geckos than regular homes?

Yes. Seasonal furnished flat residents often leave doors and windows open for air flow, and constant turnover gives geckos and insects easy entry.

Do emerging cracks in shared walls provide direct gecko routes?

Yes. Fresh cracks around pipes and wires in shared walls create direct safe passages for geckos, and pesticide alone is not enough if the cracks stay open.

Do roofs and upper passages provide safe gecko escape in apartment buildings?

Yes. Roofs and upper passages provide safe zones for geckos away from sight, so treatment must cover these areas as well as the individual flats.

How much does gecko control in Al Zahra 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 Zahra.