When people gather for their Fourth of July celebrations, it’s a given that there will be abundance of food and beverages available. However, your guests aren’t the only ones angling to satisfy their appetites.
Pests – including flies, ants, and stinging insects – are drawn to the sweet, sugary desserts, fruit, and soft drinks that are a staple of holiday functions, as well as the greasy leftovers that can be found on grills, serving trays, and garbage cans filled with post-party trash.
Clark, your neighborly pest control, termite, and lawn care expert, would like you, your family, and your friends to have a safe, enjoyable Fourth of July. The following tips are offered to keep annoying and pathogen-spreading pests from spoiling your holiday fun and turning your party into a dud:
- Flies: These filthy airborne pests are a common interloper to almost any backyard cookout or picnic. Keep flies from spoiling your picnic by covering your food with foil or tight-sealing lids, or set up your buffet inside a screened-in porch or tent. Also, remember to clean up any food and beverage spills, because they are a major attractant to flies.
- Ants: Like flies, ants are drawn to food, food spills, and leftovers. Ants – especially Argentine ants, one of the most commonly found species in California – thrive on sweet, sugary substances like spilled soft drinks. Cleaning up spilled food and drinks and rinsing out cans and bottles before they go into the recycle bin or garbage can will deny ants their sought-after prize.
- Stinging insects: Nothing can ruin a party like getting stung by a bee or yellowjacket. Clark recommends that you inspect your property before the party for any signs of nests in trees, under awnings, and under the eaves of your home. If you do spot a nest, call the stinging-insect experts at Clark immediately. Also, cover food and beverage cans or bottles, because many stinging insects are attracted to sugary substances. No one wants to swallow a bee that flew into your beverage!
- Mosquitoes: These nuisance pests are regular holiday party crashers. Eliminating standing water and keeping vegetation trimmed in your yard are ways to prevent mosquitoes from nesting. You can keep these uninvited guests away by using insect repellent or yard sprays containing DEET or eucalyptus oil, by lighting citronella candles, and by turning on a ceiling or box fan to literally blow mosquitoes away from your deck or patio, as they are not good flyers.
Call or text Clark at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) if an ant, fly, or stinging insect problem should begin to get in the way of your family enjoying your summertime fun. You can also email us at clarkcares@clarkpest.com for more information.
Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home and yard.
Happy Fourth of July!