4th Of July BBQ: Spend Time With Your Guests – And Not With Pests

The Fourth of July is one of the most fun holidays of the year. Under (hopefully!) sunny skies, family and friends barbecue, swim and play games. With just one week until the holiday, plans are being made for these festivities – but have you planned how to keep pests from crashing your party? On the day we celebrate the United States’ freedom… Keep your party free from bugs! Here are some pest control tips for your outdoor festivities.

Keep your food and drinks covered as much as possible. Fruit punch and soda are delightful, but what if a bee crawled out of your can as you went to take a sip? Don’t leave your food or beverages unattended, especially those high in sugar. Stinging bugs are just as drawn to sweets as many of your guests will be.

Sliced cucumbers are great in a salad, and they’re even more useful as a wasp repellant. Did you know cucumbers have an acidic property pests such as wasps don’t like? Slice up a couple extra cucumbers and distribute them around your party to keep your guests from getting stung.

Plants with flowers MUST be kept away from the party. Flowers are beautiful and they might add to the decor of your party, but they attract bees. Moving your flowering plants away from where your guests will enjoy themselves will keep bees from buzzing along in that direction.

Making efforts prior to your party to keep pests away will make your holiday much more enjoyable. Remember these tips all summer long and you’ll be able to spend many sunny afternoons with your guests – and no stinging pests.