How to Keep Pests Away at an Outdoor Party

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Picture it: You want to host a fun party for your friends where you hang out into the cool evening. It’ll be outside, the weather will be bright and sunny, and there’ll be a pool and a bunch of picnic-style food—fruits, barbecue, and sweet, refreshing drinks. Well, what about bugs? Ants? Flies? No big deal, maybe. But what about the ever-itch-inducing mosquitoes?

Chances are that if you think the picnic-perfect summer weather is ideal for an outing, you’ll probably have some unwanted guests flying in there as well. So when you’re reaching for the SPF and sunglasses, you should probably reach for the repellent as well—but keep in mind that the party can be prepped in a certain way to try to lessen the little buggers’ arrival overall.

Pre-Party

When planning an outdoor event, there are various methods and tools that can help you prevent those pesky mosquitoes—and worse, their bites—from showing up uninvited. One of these methods is to supply ample bottles of skin-safe repellent. This is probably the quickest, most well-known type of prevention, as it’s easy to quickly spritz your skin and clothes and keep the party going. However, to truly be effective, you may have to consistently reapply depending on sweating, swimming, etc.

A second fairly popular method is the use of citronella candles and lamps. Mosquitoes tend to thrive when the sun goes down, so it’s no coincidence that oftentimes citronella is packaged in a form that provides some sort of light. Aside from being effective in prevention, candles can create a sense of intimacy and lamps can provide a more decorative party scene.

A third form of anti-mosquito treatment is just regular plants! Commonly found flowers and herbs like marigolds, lavender, basil, and rosemary all serve as deterrents to mosquitoes. If you’d like to create a welcoming atmosphere while keeping pests away, strategically placing much of this foliage can steer mosquitoes and other insects that could carry disease away from the main event.

If you are planning a company outdoor party, then the most effective form of treatment is a monthly service to your business or company property. Getting ahead of the game is the best way to win it, so if you know you’re going to be hosting a party in the coming months, it may be best to begin treatment early. Professional companies also often have access to much more potent solutions such as an Atlanta monthly mosquito treatment so it may be worth searching the web to see what options are out there.

Mid-Party

If you’re past the point of prep and the big day is here, don’t worry. There are other steps you can take to try to limit the amount of mosquitoes buzzing around.

Moth balls can be used to help keep spiders, mosquitoes, and other bugs away. These are specially designed balls to attract mosquitoes to an area so they will then be killed by an insecticide mist. Moth balls can be hung discreetly around the setting, like in the corner of a tent or under a table.

Keeping drink containers clean is important as well. Mosquitoes love stagnant, warm water, so if you see the ice cubes getting low, refill them, and if you see half-full cups of soda lying around, toss them. If not, mosquitoes will get attracted to the humidity and, if present, the sugar. Mosquitoes love darkness, dirt, and grime, too, so a dirty cooler, for example, could be the perfect place for them to lay eggs in—and if mosquitoes aren’t invited to the party, their children definitely aren’t either.

As mentioned previously, mosquitoes love darkness. Part of the reason for this is that they love to be able to hide, stand still, and then zap! Because of this, if possible, try to avoid thickly settled areas with lots of trees, bushes, etc. that could serve as mosquito homes and hideaways. More hiding places most likely means more buzzing, more buzzing means more bites, and more bites means more bothers. And who wants to be bothered at a party?

After the Party

Be sure you clean up quickly after your event is over. The later you wait to clean up, the more likely the amount of bugs will increase. This will make the cleaning up process that much more difficult and annoying. Plus, cleaning up sooner rather than later will ensure that you get home quickly without bug bites.

However you choose to keep your party pest-free, you will have a much more enjoyable party. Do your best to plan everything beforehand so that you can have a fun and relaxing time with all of your friends.