Patio bug repellent
Summer is a time to get outside and socialize while the weather is pleasant. If you’re fortunate enough to have a patio, you may enjoy having dinner outside, spending evenings enjoying a cocktail or entertaining on your patio. Unfortunately, patios are an attractive place for unwanted guests: bugs. Mosquitos, bees, spiders, flies and other bugs come out in droves when the weather warms up.
But there are ways to keep summer bugs away from your patio. Read on to learn about these different options.
Types of bugs
There are several kinds of insects that tend to come out in summer and might ruin your time on the patio.
Gnats and flies are relatively harmless but can get in the way during time outside. They can also lay eggs in food if left unattended, so they may spoil the fun if you’re not careful about avoiding them.
Bees are often good creatures to have in your garden and are important for pollination, so be wary about killing off these environmental helpers. Some people are allergic to bees, however, so do check in with your guests. Yellow jackets and wasps, however, can cause harmful stings and bites. If you have spotted harmful stinging bugs, look into traps made specifically for those pests.
Spiders are another insect people have a lot of opinions about. Generally, spiders aren’t harmful, and in fact, prevent pests by catching flies and the like in their webs. Some spiders, however, bite and can be deadly or poisonous. You also probably don’t want a bunch of spiders around your food or sitting area. So, while spiders are not necessarily harmful, it’s okay to want to rid your patio of them.
Finally, mosquitos are a summertime frequent flier. Did you know mosquitos are the deadliest animal on Earth? This is due to their carrying diseases like the Zika virus. All mosquitoes can bite, producing itchy, unpleasant welts. Some people are very sensitive to mosquito bites and, regardless, they are unpleasant to have around your patio, so they must go. They tend to prefer dusk, or dinnertime, so many outdoor bug-repelling and killing products are aimed at mosquitoes.
Prevention
Prevention is the key to bug-free success if you’re going to be spending a lot of time outside. You can prevent bugs from entering your property in a few ways. You can sprinkle a product into your soil that keeps bugs out of plants and is safe to use on patios and in planters or containers. Mosquitos like standing water, so make sure you have good drainage in your yard and near your patio. You can hire a pest control service to do seasonal upkeep on your property — many spray for ants, spiders and bees, and some also spray to prevent mosquitoes and gnats from entering your yard.
Plants
Do some research on bug-repelling plants that grow well in your area and plant some around your patio. Flowers like marigolds, lavender, petunias and crythanimums are natural bug repellents that are beautiful in the spring and summer. Not only will the plants keep the bugs away, but they’ll make a lovely patio decoration. Citronella grass is a commonly known mosquito repellent. Herbs like basil, mint, garlic, rosemary and chives keep bugs away, too. Make a patio herb garden with starts or grow them from seeds.
Protection
Even with good prevention techniques, bugs happen. You can protect yourself and your pets from bugs on the patio with a few easy methods.
People
Keep bugs off your clothes with insect repellent clothes spray. You can also rub a lotion into your skin to keep the bugs away from you. There are also easily packable wipes to have on hand for quick bug repellent. If you are concerned about using chemicals on yourself or your children, check with your healthcare provider before using these products, and test them on a small area to ensure there are no adverse reactions.
Pets
For pets, there are insect repellent sprays for mosquitos or flies that won’t hurt your pet and keeps the bugs at bay. There are also insect-repelling collars. Keep in mind that many products are for specific bugs so you may need several products if you have several types of summer bugs around. Your outdoor pet should also be taking a flea and tick medication recommended or prescribed by your vet.
Food
Don’t leave food sitting out. Not only is it bad for food to sit out for long periods of time because it can spoil, but bugs can find their way to it the longer it’s out. Refrigerate or store food inside until you’re ready to eat, or cover food with food tents or foil unless you’re actively serving.
Bug killers
If the bugs are already present, you may want to kill the unwanted pests. Use a bug zapper with a big area radius that uses UV light to draw the bugs in and zap them into oblivion. Make sure you find something waterproof and with an easy-to-replace bulb if you think you’ll be using the bug zapper a lot this year. A bug trapper does the same thing as a zapper but doesn’t include the buzz or electric output of a zapper. A bug zapping racket turns insect eradication into a sport or a game and can be used inside or outside.
No-kill options
If you want the bugs to stay away but you don’t want to be responsible for their deaths, there are a few no-kill options. A bug vacuum is a good catch-and-release mechanism that might even be kind of fun, like a bug catching game. Citronella candles repel mosquitoes without killing them (some people love the smell of citronella and some hate it, so keep that in mind). Citronella is also used in torches or other burning mechanisms for repelling mosquitoes.
Laura Wheatman Hill is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
