The Fourth of July celebrations are around the corner. This means good company and good food are on their way. However, spending time outdoors also means risking mosquitoes and mosquito bites.
That’s why you should follow these simple tips to avoid mosquitoes during your next BBQ or picnic.
Before the BBQ
1. Dump all standing water frequently
Before your celebration or picnic, make sure you regularly dump all standing water. This means you need to check old flower pots, empty tires, and other containers that may be lying around.
Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so by removing it, you’ll make sure that there are fewer mosquitoes in your yard.
2. Use a mosquito fogger
Before the BBQ, you can also treat your yard using a mosquito fogger or spray it with homemade mosquito repellent. Depending on the fogger and insecticide you choose, a fogger can keep mosquitoes away for hours or even days.
This tool will let you actually enjoy a mosquito-free time outdoors.
3. Choose the right time for your BBQ
Another thing you can do is schedule your event when mosquitoes aren’t as active. This will reduce the number of mosquitoes that are around to attack you and your guests.
Most mosquito species tend to be the most active at dusk and dawn, so plan your BBQ during the day to worry less about mosquitoes.
4. Keep it windy
The fourth thing you can do to prepare for your BBQ or picnic is to set up a lot of fans. Mosquitoes are pretty weak fliers, so they’ll bother you less if there is wind – either natural or artificial.
Set up some oscillating fans around the area where your gathering will be and you’ll see fewer mosquitoes. On top of that, if it’s a hot day, the fans will help you and your guests keep cool.
5. Buy a lot of repellent
The last thing you can do is buy plenty of repellent and offer it to your guests. People often forget to bring their own repellent to outdoor events because they don’t associate these events with mosquitoes. So, be a great host and make sure that you have enough repellent for everyone.
Make sure you provide both natural repellents, like with lemon eucalyptus oil, and chemical options, with DEET or permethrin, since different people like to use different repellents.
During the BBQ
1. Remind everyone to reapply repellent
One thing that you should do during your event is to remind your guests, especially those with children, to reapply their mosquito repellent. We often forget that not all repellents work for 12 hours, most of them last for just a couple of hours. So reapplying will ensure that the repellent remains efficient and can do its job of keeping the mosquitoes away.
2. Don’t forget to protect your pets
You should also make sure that your animals are protected, too. Not everyone will have considered using mosquito repellent on their pets, but animals need it, too.
Mosquitoes carry diseases that can affect animals in particular, making them sick. So, don’t forget to douse your pets in repellent before they leave the house.
3. Light some mosquito candles
Finally, you can put some mosquito-repelling candles around the area where you’ll be having your picnic or BBQ. These so-called citronella candles vary in efficiency, but when used alongside repellents and fogging, they’ll make sure that no mosquitoes come near you.
As a bonus, they’ll make your yard smell good and look nicer because lit candles always add an extra touch of elegance to a party.
Happy barbecuing!