Nothing ruins a summer BBQ faster than an army of ants crawling all over your steak and mozzies feasting on your flesh.
Here are some tips for keeping BBQ pests under control so you can enjoy dining outside in summer with friends and family.
Insect Repellent
Mosquitoes are at their most active at dawn and dusk, so a sunset BBQ is an open invitation for these uninvited guests. Make sure you have insect repellent sprays on hand for you and your guests. DEET is the most common active ingredient that works to discourage mosquitoes. If you don’t like the smell of DEET, then try one with Picaridin, which is odourless and non-greasy. Natural alternatives include lavender, cinnamon and tea tree oil, but these will need to be reapplied frequently. Some people also swear by baby oil, though you may end up being covered in dead mosquitoes!
Citronella Candles
Lighting a few citronella candles and placing them discretely around the deck can act as a deterrent. Citronella masks the scent of carbon dioxide and lactic acid which make humans attractive to mosquitoes.
Food & Drink
Certain foods you serve your guests could make or break your BBQ. Garlic can offer mild protection from mosquitoes by the sulfur compounds emitted through your skin. So chuck some garlic cloves on the barbie and roast them up. Apparently eating salty foods or foods high in potassium increase the amount of lactic acid you give off, so you might want to avoid serving these foods at your BBQ in salads or fruit platters if you want to keep the mozzies at bay:
Clean Up Leftovers
Ants and flies love BBQ fare and will quickly gather if it’s not kept safe and protected from their beady eyes. Use tightly sealed containers and protective wrap and store leftover food in the fridge rather than leaving out on the table. Clean up any spills and crumbs immediately your guests have left, otherwise insects will have a field day.
Prepare Your Property
Prepare your property against the summer invasion by keeping it well maintained. A property with overgrown vegetation and knee-high lawn provides an ideal insect hangout, so keep lawns mowed and vegetation trimmed back. Remove or drain birdbaths and ponds of standing water as these are a breeding ground for mosquito larvae. Certain plants can also be help to deter pests as they have essential oils in their foliage that naturally repel insects.
The following can be planted as hedges, placed in pots on the deck or around the BBQ:
- Citronella grass
- Lavender
- Mint
- Marigolds
- Catnip
- Lemon Verbena
- Wormwood.
Herbs such as rosemary, lemon thyme and basil, also repel mozzies and can be placed near your BBQ and snipped off to add flavour to your cooking.
