KATIE CHARLOTTE FIEDLER
22.06.2024 - 11:27 / thespruce.com / Barbara Bellesi Zito
Planning some house parties this summer? As you compile your guest list, give some thought to those who will not be welcome—notably mosquitos, ants, wasps, and other nasty pests.
If the mere mention of mosquitoes makes you itchy and the thought of raccoons rummaging through your post-barbecue garbage makes you cringe, keep reading.
We have effective hacks (straight from pest control experts) to remind those critters it’s your party they’re crashing. Nasty buzzers will always attempt to go where they’re not invited. Here are some easy ways to bounce them from your gathering.
Keep the cool beverages flowing for your guests, but shut down hydration for your mosquitoes.
“The most impactful thing that can be done is removing water collection where mosquitoes can breed,” David Price of Mosquito Joe tells us.
Don’t let insect prevention stop you from watering your lawn and garden, though. Price recommends timing watering and sprinkler systems to give plants and grass just enough to drink to stay healthy while ensuring the water can be fully absorbed into the soil.
If you can't remove a water collection, Price recommends purchasing Mosquito Dunks at your local hardware or home improvement store. These little floating, doughnut-shaped tablets contain a soil bacterium that destroys mosquito larvae.
The Spruce / Patrick McGowan
Despite all their buzzing about, mosquitoes aren’t actually the most agile insects, says Price. Use that to your advantage by pointing a fan in their direction.
“Utilizing a fan is very effective as mosquitoes are not very good fliers and avoid the moving air,” he explains. Bonus: You'll circulate the air, and that makes your guests feel more comfortable.
The Spruce / Nelly Cuanalo
More than just
KATIE CHARLOTTE FIEDLER
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