Tips for Avoiding Pests While Entertaining Outdoors

Tips for Avoiding Pests When Entertaining Outdoors in Charlottesville

Charlottesville has some of the best outdoor entertaining weather in Virginia. The foothills, the vineyards, and the long evenings are practically made for backyard gatherings. But the big problem that a lot of party-hosters and partygoers run into is that mosquitoes, wasps, and ticks agree. And they’re always ready to crash the party.

You can't make pests disappear entirely. But you can make your gathering a good deal more comfortable with a bit of prep work, smart setup, and professional treatment. 

Start With Professional Treatment

Once pests get a foothold, it is very hard to fix them by DIY means. Especially on short notice. So if you have a gathering coming up and your pest situation is out of hand, schedule professional Charlottesville pest control at least 24 to 48 hours before your event. That gives the barrier treatment time to establish in the vegetation where mosquitoes rest and breed.

If you entertain regularly through the season, a recurring treatment plan means your events will automatically be covered. You won’t have to scramble at the last minute or spend a lot of time setting up candles or fans. The professionals can do most of the work for you.

But if you have a one-time occasion coming up like a graduation, wedding, or reunion, you should know that special event sprays from Mosquito Squad of Charlottesville are designed for exactly that.

Either way, this is a good way to reduce the mosquito population by up to 90% before any guests set foot on your property.

Set Up Your Space Strategically

Where you place things matters more than you might think. One of the best things you can do from a pest control standpoint is to keep seating in sunny, breezy spots rather than shaded, sheltered corners. Mosquitoes rest in shade and avoid wind. That means that a patio in direct late-afternoon sun with a light breeze will be a lot less appealing to them than a shaded garden nook.

Fans can also help a lot here. Mosquitoes are weak fliers and struggle even in moderate airflow, so a couple of box fans or oscillating fans near the seating area are an easy way to tell mosquitoes to buzz off.

Use light-colored tablecloths and linens. Dark colors attract mosquitoes more than light ones. It’s a small detail, but it adds up over the course of an evening.

Manage Food and Drinks Carefully

This isn’t a surprise, but it’s worth mentioning: open containers of sweet drinks are wasp magnets. If you're serving cocktails, lemonade, or soda outdoors, use covered pitchers or cups with lids. It won't eliminate wasps, but it removes one of the things that draws them directly to your table.

It’s also wise to keep food covered until you're ready to serve. Once plates and platters are out, they attract wasps, ants, and flies. The shorter the window between uncovering food and clearing it, the fewer pest interactions your guests will have.

It’s also a good idea to position food and drink stations away from dense vegetation and wooded edges. The closer your setup is to pest habitat, the more pests will RSVP.

Do Your Own Prep Before Guests Arrive

Walk the gathering area and eliminate standing water. Every plant saucer, tarp fold, and low spot holding water is a potential breeding site. If you want to look into this some more, we have a video on the 7 T's of mosquito control, which is a good checklist for thinking through where water hides.

It’s also smart to mow the lawn and trim vegetation near seating and food areas. Mosquitoes rest in tall grass and dense shrubs during the day and emerge at dusk, which is exactly when most outdoor gatherings tend to happen.

Need Charlottesville Pest Control for Your Next Event?

Planning an outdoor gathering in Charlottesville this season? Call Mosquito Squad of Charlottesville at (434) 363-9274 or contact us online for a free quote.