When you’re planning a summer party, there are so many details to attend to: invitations, food, decorations, entertainment, and much, much more. But is mosquito control on your event planning checklist?

Mosquitoes are the bane of any outdoor party, especially a sunset soiree occurring during the hours when these droning pests are most active. No one wants to deal with the annoyance of bug bites or to risk contracting a mosquito-borne disease while they’re just trying to have a good time.

So, how do you cross mosquitoes off your guest list?

How Do I Keep Mosquitoes Away from a Backyard Party?

Here are seven steps you can take to discourage the presence of mosquitoes in your backyard during a party or other outdoor event:

Remove standing water: Any standing water attracts mosquitoes and serves as a breeding ground. If you can’t empty water from sources of standing water, use dunks, which stop their larvae from maturing. Mosquito dunks may not solve the immediate problem, but it will stop it from getting worse.
Cut the grass: Keeping your grass cut short gives mosquitoes fewer places to hide. The same goes for other landscaping… the tidier it is, the less likely it will attract mosquitoes.
Don’t water the lawn: Avoid watering the day of the event or (if you must water) do it early so the grass is dry in the evening when mosquitoes are most active.
Replace outdoor light bulbs: Remove white, incandescent light bulbs and replace them with yellow tinted “bug lights” that are less attractive to mosquitoes and other flying pests.
Run fans to keep the air moving: Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide emitted by humans. Keeping the air moving disperses it. Also, mosquitoes aren’t strong fliers, and they prefer to fly in calm air. Even a mild current from strategically placed fans may deter them.
Set up trappers or zappers: Consider using electronic bug zappers or carbon dioxide traps, particularly around areas where food will be served and where use of chemical repellents may not be optimal.
Use mosquito repellents: Spray for mosquitoes before the party, and use unobtrusive repellents like the Thermacell LIV system during the event.

How Do I Make My Garden Mosquito Free?

You can keep your garden mosquito-free by following the above tips, plus:

Don’t overwater: The best way to keep mosquitoes out of your garden is to avoid overwatering it. Standing water around plants becomes yet another breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Plant mosquito repellent flowers: Flowering plants like lavender, marigolds, and nasturtiums repel mosquitoes.
Add herbs that repel mosquitoes: Mosquitoes avoid basil, lemon balm, lemongrass, mint, rosemary, and sage.
Remove plants that attract mosquitoes: Plants that grow in water are prime mosquito habitat. These include water lilies, water hyacinths, water lettuce, taro, and papyrus.

What Is the Best Bug Repellent for Outdoor Parties?

We recommend the Thermacell LIV system, which creates a permanently installed, year-round zone of mosquito protection designed specifically for your outdoor space. The Thermacell LIV uses heat-activated cartridges that vaporize repellent into 20-foot protection zones.

The system is quiet, scent-free, and can be managed with your smart speaker or an app on your phone. We can install and maintain your Thermacell system, so you don’t have to do anything but turn it on when you’re ready to enjoy a mosquito-free yard.

Prepare Your Property for a Mosquito-Free Party

While you put together your guest list, we’ll handle the “pest list.” East End Tick and Mosquito Control® can prepare your property for a mosquito-free event and keep it that way all summer long. We offer cutting edge mosquito exclusion and elimination processes, including pre-party spraying and the state-of-the-art Thermacell LIV system. Contact us online or call (631) 324-9700 in East Hampton; (631) 287-9700 in Southampton, or (631) 654-9700 in Southold. We look forward to hearing from you!