Labor Day weekend, here in Indianapolis, is a time for backyard barbecues, family gatherings, and outdoor fun. But nothing ruins fun faster than a mosquito on your face, a fly on your burger, or a tick on your thigh. You can expect more than friendly faces at your outdoor gatherings this Labor Day weekend because pests are on the prowl. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your yard pest-free this Labor Day weekend.
Mosquitoes
Nothing ruins a Labor Day picnic faster than hundreds of bloodthirsty mosquitoes looking for food. While you feed on hot dogs and hamburgers, they feed on you. And, not only can they leave you with an itchy welt, these little biters are also vectors for dangerous pathogens. These are the control measures for mosquitoes:
- Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. If you have a bird bath, replace the water regularly. Don't let water accumulate near your exterior walls. Remove obstructions in gutters where water and wet leaves offer a place to breed. Get rid of any clutter in your yard that catches and holds rainwater.
- A mosquito looks for silhouettes on the horizon when targeting food. Wearing black or dark clothing will make you more visible to a mosquito. Light colors will act as a sort of camouflage.
- Temperature and carbon dioxide are the two most common ways a mosquito finds its way to your body. The more you exert yourself, the more carbon dioxide you produce, and the more mosquitoes will like you.
- Outdoor fans or a good breeze are natural deterrents. Mosquitoes are horrible fliers. Wind also disperses carbon dioxide, making it harder for mosquitoes to zero in.
Ticks
You probably wouldn't immediately consider ticks a barbecue invading bug, but they can be. Ticks live in grass.
- Animals can harbor and bring ticks onto your property. Keep trash in a tightly sealed plastic container to deter wildlife from being lured in.
- Consider removing bird feeders. Those pretty birds can drop ticks onto your lawn.
- Ticks live better in long grass. Keeping your lawn short can greatly reduce the number of ticks in your backyard.
Before you have everyone over for your annual Labor Day cookout, give us a call and we'll send an expert home pest control technician to your home to inspect for yard pests, and offer treatment solutions. We have control options for ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, ants, wasps and other Labor Day picnic pests. Get your yard ready for Labor Day with Action Pest Control.