If you have a backyard patio that you love to spend time on, there’s nothing better than to sit out on it with your friends or even when you want to be alone. The issue, of course, is unwanted visitors in the form of ceeepy-crawly, biting bugs!
If you are tired of pesky insects crashing the party uninvited, there are quite a few things that you can do to turn the tables and alleviate the situation.
Install Porch Screens
If you are someone who is deeply invested in making sure that you can access your patio whenever you like and have it be bug free, think about installing attractive and secure screens.
There are many types of screens available. Which ones you choose really boils down to personal preference and the budget that you and your family is comfortable with.
Burn Citronella Candles
If you want to make sure that you can get rid of bugs the easy and organic way, think about lighting some citronella candles which are available at any of the big box stores.
The essential oils in citronella candles are a great choice for warding off both crawling pests and flying pests, so light a few up around the perimeter of your patio. Just remember to put them out when you are done! The essential oils are obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon (lemongrass).
But you don’t have to stop there; why not incorporate some citronella plants into your landscaping? These are attractive, easy-to-care-for plants that are available at larger nurseries and garden centers.
Relocate Your Trash and Recycling Bin
Even if you cannot smell the trash and the recycling from where you are sitting on the porch, that doesn’t mean that the insects can’t. If you keep trash and recycling close to your patio, you’ll find that it can draw flies and mosquitoes in droves.
Drag the trash cans and recycling bins to the far edge of your yard or around the corner of the house to prevent pests from crashing the picnic.
The same thing can be said for compost piles. While it is to everyone’s advantage to make their own compost piles, by their very nature they are a natural incubator for insect repopulation. Just locate your compost pile a bit farther away.
Eliminate the Standing Water
Mosquitoes are the number one pest at any picnic, patio, or pool party, and when you want to enjoy your patio without these buzzing irritants, make sure that there is no standing water around. If you have a bird bath (and you should) just pour out the water and refresh it every couple of days.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, and on top of that, other bugs use standing water as a place to drink. Put a damper on their plans and move any standing water that you can see.
If you do have a chronic standing water problem, you might want to seriously consider installing a French drain to guide water away from your property. Not only will it help with insect problems, it might save you from costly foundation repairs. If you have a koi pond or some other water feature, invest in some mosquito dunks.
Use Bug Traps for Pest Control
If you are someone who does not care for bugs at all, like most of us, consider building or buying a bug trap. Most bug traps have funnel shapes, where the bugs are drawn in through a small opening and then cannot find their way out again.
This is very similar to a crab or lobster trap set-up and works just as well. Even if this is not your first line of defense, it is just one more tool in your arsenal and will profit you greatly.
There are a number of different bug traps for you to choose from, and if you remember to use a mesh that is fine enough, you can bet that you will reduce the insect population close to your patio.
Using these 5 solutions for a bug-free outdoor patio will give you the peace that you crave. I hope that you have found this article helpful. If so, please pass it on to your friends. Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment below!
