Summer is the perfect time to host an outdoor party. Unfortunately, you may have to worry about a few pesky party crashers—mosquitoes. These pests show up to your festivities looking for their next blood meal. Adding a few preventative measures to your party prep list can help to keep mosquitoes from ruining your fun. We’ve made a list of tips to help keep your outdoor party free of mosquitoes.
Clean Up Your Yard
Before your party, you’ll want to clean up your yard. Focus on minimizing potential harboring spots for mosquitoes. Overgrown vegetation and yard debris can provide shelter for these pests. Mow your lawn regularly to keep your grass kept short. Trim plants, bushes, and shrubs. Remove dead plants, fallen leaves, and weeds. Keeping your vegetation trimmed will also increase airflow, helping to keep things dry as well as making it harder for mosquitoes to fly around.
Eliminate Standing Water
Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, so they will gravitate to areas with moisture build-up. Minimizing standing water in your yard can help to prevent these pests. Keep your gutters clean and ensure they work properly. Empty or remove items that can collect water such as buckets and unused flower pots. Add drainage holes to planters or trays to avoid water build-up. Check for and repair any leaks in hoses or spigots.
Take Care of Your Pool
If you have a pool, you’ll want to make sure it doesn’t become a favorite hangout spot for mosquitoes. Keep your pool clean, removing leaves and other yard debris that falls in it. Maintain your treatment schedule, checking to make sure the levels are in the correct range. Make sure your pool pump and filter are working correctly. This will help to keep the water circulating, preventing it from becoming stagnant.
Choose the Right Time
When choosing a time for your party, you’ll want to consider when mosquitoes are most likely to be present. These pests are most active at dawn and dusk. If possible, plan to have your party in the afternoon to avoid peak mosquito hours. If an evening party works better for you, you’ll want to make sure you and your guests take preventative measures to avoid these pests.
Use Fans
Outdoor fans can help to keep you cool and keep mosquitoes away. These pests aren’t the best fliers, and a breeze can deter their flight path. Turning on your fan will make it more difficult for these pests to bug you and your guests. The fan will also help to disperse the carbon dioxide you exhale, making it harder for mosquitoes to find you.
Create a Protective Barrier
Plant-based insecticide sprays can help to keep mosquitoes from bugging you and your guests. Before your party, you can spray your yard with an insecticide spray. Our Mosquito & Tick Killer kills and repels mosquitoes and ticks. The repellent properties create a protective barrier, helping to keep these pests out of your yard. When spraying, pay special attention to areas with dense vegetation. Our Mosquito & Tick Killer can effectively treat up to 5,000 sq ft.
Protect Your Seating Area
In addition to treating your yard, you can also take steps to protect your seating area. You can treat the area where you are gathering with our plant-based Mosquito Fogger. It kills mosquitoes and also provides up to seven days of repellent zone residual protection. Our ‘Skeet-R-Shield Mosquito Repellent Canister can also protect against these pests. To activate, remove the lid and place it on a table on your patio or deck. One canister will protect an area up to 250 sq ft. Additional canisters can be used for larger areas.
Use a Bug Repellent Spray
Before heading outdoors, you and your guests can also use a bug repellent. Our Natural Insect Repellent protects against mosquitoes, ticks, and flies. It is formulated using plant oils as the active ingredients and is safe for your family when used as directed. Slightly moisten your skin and spread with your hand after application for maximum protection. You can reapply every two hours or as needed.
Having mosquitoes crash your party isn’t any fun. That’s why it’s important to take steps to prevent these pests. If you’re dealing with a mosquito problem, we have your back! For a more environmentally and family-friendly solution, check out our mosquito control products.