Nothing can ruin a nice backyard barbecue than an invasion of bugs. From ants, mosquitoes, and caterpillars to fleas and ticks, bugs can turn an otherwise fun and peaceful time in the backyard to a nightmare. The worst part is not just the nuisance. It’s the fact that some of these bugs carry harmful diseases that can harm both your family and pets. Follow these tips to rid your backyard of bugs.
1. Clean up your garbage
Garbage attracts bugs and pests like ants and flies. If you must keep your garbage outside, then ensure that the garbage can is totally covered up. Garbage provides a breeding ground for flies. You can also find ants around garbage because they love to eat the sticky foods in your garbage. Garbage can also attract animals like possums and raccoons. So cover up your garbage cans and ensure that they are not near your entertaining spots.
2. Clean up the yard
Mow your lawn and keep it clean so that bugs don’t get a place to hide and breed. A well-manicured lawn discourages pests and bugs from taking up residence in your yard. Long grass and weed make the perfect hiding place for bugs, so removing them makes the yard inhospitable. Also, keep your landscaping neat to expose your lawn to sunlight. Most bugs like chiggers, termites, and scorpions don’t like sunlight. Decluttering the yard also works great in ensuring that bugs don’t find your yard hospitable. Get rid of woodpiles, brushes, yard equipment, tree stumps, furniture, leaves, tires, and any other unused items. Also, get rid of lawn clippings after you are done mowing the lawn. Bag the clippings and dispose of them.
3. Get rid of stagnant water
Stagnant water provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes, so ensure that there’s no standing water in your backyard. Get rid of old pots and containers that can hold water. Dry out all damp areas using sand and also ensure that there are no sunken areas in your yard. Also, don’t forget to unclog your gutters to remove any water in them.
4. Plant bug repellent plants
Bug repellent shrubs and flowers don’t just help in keeping the bugs away. They are a great way to add extra beauty to your yard. Plants like lemongrass, lavender, chrysanthemums, and marigold produce smells that repel bugs. The bugs won’t bother coming to your yard.
5. Use spices as a repellent
Some spices are great ant repellents. Chilli powder and cinnamon can help keep ants away. You can sprinkle these spices on your backyard or use them to create a barrier around your backyard. If there are ant mounds in your backyard, you can pour mint tea or boiling water on them to kill the ants.
6. Take care of your pets
One of the ways that bugs can enter your backyards through your pets. Pets are great bug carriers. Always check your pets regularly for bugs like ticks. You should also douse the pets with natural bug repellents before and after going for walks, to dog parks, or hikes. Bugs like ticks and fleas can not only be a nuisance but also harmful to pets.
7. Engage an exterminator
If all these methods somehow don’t manage to keep the bugs away, then it might be time to engage an exterminator. An exterminator will carry out inspections and come up with a plan to eliminate the nuisance bugs. If you have a persistent ant problem that just can’t seem to go away after doing everything, then find an ant exterminator to do it for you. A good ant exterminator will offer pet friendly pest control ensuring that both your family and pets are safe.