Summer is the perfect time to entertain outdoors. Unfortunately, bugs are notorious for inviting themselves to the party. While planning your menu and picking out decorations, you’ll also want to add bug-proofing to your to-do list. Check out a few tips to help keep your backyard party bug-free.
Clean Up Your Yard
Before your party, you’ll want to spend some time getting your yard in shape. Keep these things in mind when prepping your space.
- Bugs like to hide in tall grass, so mow your lawn to minimize hiding spots.
- Trim vegetation and remove yard debris that can act as shelter for pests.
- Clean up after your pets to avoid attracting flies.
- Minimize moisture in your yard by repairing leaky hoses and removing items where water can collect.
- Avoid setting up chairs or activities near wasp or ant nests.
- Wasp nests can be carefully treated with our plant-based Wasp & Hornet Killer foaming jet spray. Our plant-based Spider & Insect Dust can be used to treat ant nests.
Protect Your Food
Food is an important element of any party, but it’s important to keep hungry pests away from it. Check out a few tips to keep bugs away from your food.
- If serving food outside, keep it covered with aluminum foil or use serving dishes with lids.
- You can also leave the food inside where pests can’t reach it. Guests can still bring plates of food outside, but there will be fewer options for pests to snack on.
- Wasps and other stinging insects are attracted to sugary drinks. Use sealed drink containers or cover plastic cups to avoid a run-in with these pests.
Remove Trash
Left behind crumbs and trash can also attract bugs. Here are a few tips to avoid attracting pests.
- It may be tempting to wait to clean the table until after your guests leave, but if you want to keep bugs away, don’t wait to throw away your trash.
- Clean up food and drink spills quickly. It doesn’t take long for ants and other pests to track down food.
- Keep your trash bins away from the area where you will be entertaining.
- Ensure your trash bins are covered and have lids that fit tightly.
Make the Space Unwelcoming to Bugs
It’s important that guests feel welcomed, but this isn’t true for pests. Check out a few things you can do to discourage bug activity.
- Place a few outdoor fans around the perimeter of your space. This will make it harder for bugs, like mosquitoes, to fly near you and your guests.
- Place a mosquito screen or net around your patio to help keep unwanted pests away.
- Swap your white light bulbs for warm or yellow bulbs since these are less attractive to pests than cool white lights.
- Use bug-repelling plants as decorations. Thyme, lavender, mint, rosemary, and marigolds are known to help repel bugs.
Use Plant-Based Insecticide Sprays
Plant-based insecticide sprays can help to keep pests away. Consider using bug repellents or treating your outdoor space to get rid of uninvited guests.
- Use a Bug Repellent: Your guests will appreciate having access to a bug repellent. Our Natural Insect Repellent is DEET-free and provides protection against mosquitoes, ticks, and flies.
- Use a Mosquito Repellent Canister: Our 'Skeet-R-Shield can help to keep mosquitoes away. One mosquito repellent canister can protect an area up to 250 sq ft. Place the canister on a table near where you'll be gathering and simply take the lid off to activate it.
- Create a Protective Barrier: Spraying the perimeter of your yard with our Yard Bug Spray can help to deter bugs. It kills pests and provides residual repellency protection, helping to keep pests out. You can spray your yard a few days before the event to help ensure your party is free of bugs.
Whether you’re hosting a small outdoor gathering or having a big cookout, it’s important to keep pests from bugging you and your guests. Implementing preventative measures before and during the party will help to keep your yard bug-free. If you’re dealing with a pest problem, we want to help! Check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products for a more environmentally and family-friendly solution.