[Updated on 1 June 2020] Nothing ruins a fun night in the back yard like annoying bugs buzzing around your ears. If the buzzing and creepy feeling you get every time they touch your skin aren’t enough, these creatures can be a health hazard to your family at any time of the day. It may be your backyard, but it’s their world so keeping them all out all the time is nearly impossible. You’ve probably been pulling your hair out and asking yourself, “How do I bug proof my backyard?” The good news is that there are steps you can take to keep as many bugs out of your family space as possible without harming the environment at large.
Maintain the Yard
It’s easier said than done, but the best way to keep the bugs out is to maintain your yard. Bugs and other pests thrive in long grass and pooled water so don’t give them a home. Always bag up and remove your grass clippings kopa steroider pa natet trenabol i sverige muscle, cut grass on top of your lawn creates the perfect environment for ticks.
Keeping the lawn short is only part of the solution; you should regularly check around your property to see if the water is pooling anywhere. If you find spots where water seems to settle, you will want to aerate your yard. Yards with ponds or fountains should always have a filter running to keep the water from standing and breeding bugs and harmful algae.
Keep it Clean
Mosquitos are annoying, but they are just one of many pests that can torment your backyard. Bugs like flies and ants can turn an ideal night on the patio into a creepy-crawly nightmare. The best way to keep these bugs at bay is not to attract them in the first place. If you are cooking, be sure to cover any food you can as well as any trash cans that are in use. Regularly cleaning and transporting the garbage away from your living area will deter a lot of the pests from visiting.
Plant Bug Repellent Plants
There are a few things that we can do that Mother Nature can’t do better. There are a few plants out there that have adapted to ward off insects, and a lot of them work so well that they are the main ingredients in a lot of bug repellents. You should do your research on the best plants for your region, but here is a list of some of the best plants to use in your landscaping to ward off insects.
- Pennyroyal – This purple plant is excellent at keep away mosquitos, gnats, ticks, and fleas. People often crush the leaves and rub it on their skin as a natural mosquito repellent.
- Feverfew – Feverfew is a pretty white petal plant that is great for warding off mosquitos and other flying, biting insects.
- Citronella Grass – This ornate grass is perfect for landscaping and keeps the mosquitos away.
- Chrysanthemum – This pretty pink flower is a powerhouse when it comes to bug repellent. It does ok at keeping mosquitos away, but it is also great to keep the aphids, spider mites, harlequin bugs, and ticks out of your yard. People often plant chrysanthemums as guardians to other plants that are affected by bugs.
- Catnip – The nepetalactone, ironically the same compound in the plant that cats love, is what keeps mosquitos and other bugs away.
- Mint – People go back and forth over the effectiveness of mint, but it works anecdotally to keep away spiders as well as rodents and raccoons.
Keep Out Other Animals
Keeping the larger furry pests out of your yard will help to keep the bug population in check. One of the biggest ways that all these bugs find their way into your yard is by catching a ride on animals like rabbits and raccoons. A lot of the suggestions on this list work for mammals too, but fences and dogs are a few more tools to scare away bug carrying critters.
Natural Pesticides
The easiest way to keep bugs out of the yard is to spray it with pesticides. The problem with that is that most pesticides are a cocktail of poisons that are just as bad for us, our pets, and the environment at large as they are for the bugs. If you are willing to pay more, you will find natural pesticides that are a better option for health and environment but still make bugs think twice. You can’t just spray pesticides here and there and expect it to work; there are a few rules to follow for the best results.
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- Evenly spray the entire yard; this includes the bases of trees, shrubs, hedges, and the garden.
- Pay special attention to the edges in your yard, including the base of fences, retaining walls, and the foundation of your home along with on and under trees, shrubs, and bushes.
- Treat the front and back yards at the same time; this prevents bugs from migrating to another area of your yard.
- During the spring and summer, when bugs are the worst, spray your yard at least once a month.
- Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean you should take any chances, allow the spray to dry completely before letting people and animals into the yard.
Fire
Sometimes all you need to keep the bugs away is a little fire; of course, you want to do it in the safest way possible. There are several ways that you can harness the power of fire to keep the bugs away, especially flying pests like mosquitos.
- Fire Pit – If you like spending time in your backyard, the odds are that you already have a fire pit. To keep bugs away from your backyard and patio light a campfire when you plan to be out for a while. The theory is that the smoke from the fire messes with mosquitos’ pheromone receptors making you impossible to find. When they can’t find a food source, they will move on.
- Tiki Torches – Tiki torches work in the same principle as a fire pit, but on a smaller scale. One torch on each corner of the patio or an entire circle around the sitting area may be all you need to keep from being bitten.
- Citronella Candles – These candles have been used for decades as a way to protect against mosquitos. These candles are usually made from natural plant oils and completely safe for your family.
Place Traps
There are a plethora of traps out there, depending on what kind of bugs are pestering you. Fly strips will help to catch flies and gnats that are buzzing around, and a bug zapper is great for shocking mosquitos and other flying pests. The only problem with these traps is that they are unsightly and will leave a mess if you have a major problem. If you don’t want to spend the money on an expensive trap, you can always make one at home.
1. Two Liter Trap
Start by cutting the top quarter off of a two-liter bottle. Place bug bait in the bottom ¾ of the two-liter. Your bait depends on the kind of bugs you are trying to trap. If it is stink bugs or moths that are getting you down a cheap light from the dollar store will be enough to attract them. You may find that sugar water is a multipurpose solution to lead gnats, mosquitos, and flies to their doom. Once you have the solution in place, place the top of two-liter upside down and tape the two portions together. Set it outside and watch as the bugs go in but don’t come out. The great thing about this trap is that it is reusable.
2. Egg Trap
Another excellent use of a two-liter bottle will rid you of mosquitos all summer long. Cut the top off of the bottle and spray paint the bottle black. Drill two overflow holes near the top of the bottle and cover the top and the holes with a fine mesh covering. Fill the trap ¾ of the way with water and wrap a wet washcloth around the brim of the trap. You will need to wet the washcloth once a day for the trap to work. Mosquitos will lay their eggs on the cloth when they hatch the larvae will fall through the mesh and grow too large to escape killing the next generation of mosquitos in your yard.
3. Fruit Fly Trap
Fill a large bowl with water and dish soap and make sure it is extra sudsy. Fill a smaller bowl with red wine vinegar and float it in the larger bowl. The vinegar attracts the fruit flies to the bowl, and the suds trap them and pull them into the water. You will need to change the water every once in a while to get the soap suds nice and fluffy again, but after a few rounds, you will see a significant reduction in fruit flies.
Support Bug Eating Animals
This may not be an option for a lot of homeowners and that is understandable, but if you don’t mind a little extra wildlife around your house, this is an option for cheap and permanent bug control. Animals like birds, bats, and even insects like dragonflies, eat some of the nastier bugs in our back yards. Build a few small houses in your back yard that invite birds or bats to nest in. Since bats can eat upwards of 6,000 insects in one night, you will see the bug population dwindle quickly.
Make a Mulch Wall
A barrier of cedar mulch around your patio smells nice and is a great design element for your yard, but what looks like a decoration to you is a mountain to creepy crawly bugs. Insects like ticks don’t like cedar oil, so they will steer clear of the area. If using mulch is a choice you make to deter bugs, make sure that you use dry mulch as the wet stuff is an attractive home to other unwanted bugs.
Nets and Patio Fans
A few bugs in the yard are unavoidable, but the closer you get to your house, the more unacceptable it becomes. Whether you are entertaining guests or spending a family night outside, you don’t want a single bug to ruin the experience. There is a couple of strategies that you can use separately or in tandem to rid the patio of flying insects.
1. Nets
The best way to keep bugs out is to create a physical barrier that you can do with nets or screens. These can be hung up around the patio, especially if there is a structure over it like a deck or pergola. If there aren’t any structures around your patio, don’t worry, you can buy screen tents that are easy to set up and take down and fit plenty of people. These screens are surprisingly good at keeping the bugs out without hindering airflow on hot nights.
2. Fans
If a screen is not your style, the other option is to harness the power of the wind to blow the bugs away. Patio fans are a fantastic option that keeps the flying insects away because they aren’t strong enough to overcome the wind generated by the fan. The fans also keep you cool on hot nights and blow campfire smoke away from you and towards the bugs.
Can I Predict How Bad the Insects Will Be?
The simple answer is no, there is no way that you can know how bad any particular insect population will be in a year, but there are a few markers that help make a ballpark prediction. The biggest indicators that the insect level may be higher than usual are precipitation and weather; if we have a wet and warm Spring, there is a high chance that bugs like flies, mosquitos, and ticks will see an increase in population.
It’s a Group Effort
Anyone of these preventative measures will do its part to bug-proof your backyard, but combing a few will help you see a significant reduction in the insect population. Bugs play an important part in our ecosystem, but your backyard doesn’t need to be a part of that. The priority is to keep your family happy and healthy by creating an insect-free backyard and patio for them to enjoy.
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