Mosquito-proof your space

Get the pests to buzz off—without resorting to harsh chemicals or pricey bug zappers—so you can enjoy your time outside this summer!

In the yard Eliminate sneaky “pools”

You know mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, so you keep the lids on trash cans and turn over empty buckets and planters. But don’t forget smaller sources of water, advises Chelle Hartzer, an entomologist with the pestcontrol company Orkin, who has been helping people fight off pests for 11 years. “Mosquitoes are so tiny that even pools of water in a toy shovel or a sodabottle cap that was left in the yard can harbor them.” Also smart: Take care not to give plants and flowers too much water. “Overwatering can create a water source for breeding,” says Hartzer, who recommends choosing plants for your yard that don’t require much water, like begonias or bougainvillea.

At the grill Reach for rosemary

When you’re rubbing or marinating steaks for your barbecue, consider including fresh rosemary in your recipe. “Rosemary provides a scent that mosquitoes don’t like and will attempt to avoid,” says Rhianna Miller, a home and garden design expert at RubberMulch, a company that manufactures rubber surfaces for playgrounds and landscapes. She discovered the bugs’ distaste for the herb during her own backyard cookouts. (If you’re planning on spending the evening sitting outside by your fire pit, you can also toss a few sprigs into the fire.)

In a seating area Set this in the center

To keep mosquitoes from feasting on you or your loved ones while you’re seated around a picnic table or on the patio, Hartzer suggests placing a small battery-powered rotating fan in the center of the table or on the ground near the seating area. “A lot of mosquito species aren’t great at flying, so the extra air movement will push them away,” she explains. The fan doesn’t have to be large or set to a high speed—you can ward off mosquitoes without sending your food and napkins across the yard! To prevent the bugs from following you into the house when you open the door, place another fan next to the door, facing out. The airstream it creates will stop the pests in their tracks. Finally, mosquitoes are attracted to the scent of strongly scented flowers, says Miller, so avoid placing fragrant blooms on your table.