How to Have a Pest-Free Pool Party

How to Have a Pest-Free Pool Party

In the dead of summer, there is one type of party that is very appealing to attend: a pool party! These gatherings are fun for all ages due to the frequent features of grilled food, cold drinks, upbeat music, and a refreshing pool that everyone can enjoy as they so choose. Just as with any outdoor activity, pool parties can be ruined by the arrival of some uninvited guests – and we’re not talking about your nosy neighbors that have the bad habit of peeking over your fence. There are all kinds of annoying pests that can cause problems for your party simply by participating in their natural habits.  Biting pests will leave everyone with the parting favors of itchy bites, and food-loving pests will cause all of your delicious snacks to become inedible. Luckily, there are plenty of steps you can take before, during, and after your pool party to ensure that it is a pest-free affair!

Clean the Pool First

First things first, it goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that your pool should be as clean as possible before the party. The filtration system will generally keep the pool clean when it’s running properly, and the pool sweep will take care of any large debris on the bottom. It is also a good idea to receive regular maintenance from professional pool services since they will know how to keep your pool looking nice and clean. It may seem trivial to continuously check on the state of the water and use an extendable net to get small leaves off the surface, but it is greatly beneficial to keep your pool as clear as possible. Natural debris, like leaves and twigs, will attract insects over time. When those initial insects are dead in the water – literally – then those insects will attract the attention of carnivorous pests. Giant water bugs, water boatmen, and backswimmers are all common pool invaders that are not dangerous but are still unsightly nuisances to have in your pool.

Consider the Time

The times that a pool party takes place is one of the most important steps in planning a party. After all, most people don’t want to go for a swim in someone else’s pool at 7:00 am. Pests have their own time preferences, as every species has varying hours of activity every day. In terms of pool parties, mosquitoes are often in attendance because these kinds of parties often intersect with their most active times. These insects are usually seen around dusk and continue to be a problem as the sun sets. Female mosquitoes will be on the hunt for their next meal, so any guests that are not armed with bug spray will likely receive at least one bite during this time. There are a couple ways to avoid this occurrence. One is to host your party in the middle of the day when the sun is at its peak, as mosquitoes can’t stand the heat. Another is to enjoy the pool party outdoors up until dusk, then invite everyone to move their conversations inside the house if they wish. No matter what you choose, it couldn’t hurt to have a couple bottles of bug spray around the backyard to help your guests stay protected against these bloodsuckers. 

Inspect & Protect

While you are preparing your pool for the festivities, it is a good idea to also inspect your yard for any signs of pest activity. You are already busy cleaning and preparing your home before the first guests arrive, so the last thing you need is to find out that you have a major ant infestation when the party is in full swing. It does not have to be a 3-hour-long inspection of every nook and cranny on your property; major pest issues will be fairly obvious with a simple walk around the yard. One of the scariest pest problems to have during a party is anything involving stinging insects. Their stings will hurt anyone, but the situation will turn even more dangerous if anyone attending your party is allergic to these stings. Check your yard for any wasp nests, especially under overhangs, eaves, fence boards, porches, and patio covers. If you find any nests, we strongly recommend contacting professional pest control services to take care of them since they will know the safest ways to remove the nest and treat the area.

Minimize Light Usage

The sign of a good pool party is when the host has to turn the patio lights on because everyone  is having such a good time that they stayed well into the evening. It is important to have lights on for safety purposes, but they also come with the unfortunate downside of attracting lots of tiny insects. A group of bugs swarming the porch lights is a common sight every summer, and also happens to be a common lyric in nostalgic-themed country songs. To cut down on the number of insects swarming the lights, you can try turning them on only when the sun is actually set and you need the lights to see everything. Interestingly enough, insects seem to be drawn to incandescent lights most of all. If you have these lights around your yard, you can switch them out for different kinds of lights, such as cool-toned lights or warm-toned LED bulbs. Your underwater pool lights will also attract bugs, but these insects are usually of the aquatic variety anyway. Giant water bugs are the most frequent visitors of these lights, and they become an issue when they bite any swimmers who happen to be near the lights. You can also save these lights for later in the evening to minimize the number of insects trying to get to the mysterious glow emanating from the bottom of the pool. 

Place Fans Around the Yard

For the guests who don’t want to enjoy the cool pool, the summer heat can make sitting outside increasingly unbearable as the party progresses. Some homeowners have ceiling fans attached to their patio covers, so a simple fix for the overheating issue is to leave these fans running throughout the party. If you do not have these built-in fans, don’t worry! A typical standing fan or two will be enough to keep the flying pests away from your party. Small insects cannot fly in the wind, so the wind generated by the fans will prevent them from getting too close to your guests. It’s even more effective if your fans oscillate, — aka slowly swing back and forth — because this will keep your guests cool and cover a larger area with light wind gusts. Flies, mosquitoes, and gnats are all common visitors when the air is warm and still, so a nice, cool breeze will work wonders against these persistent pests. 

Keep Trash Contained

As a party guest, there is nothing more awkward than finishing your meal and holding your empty paper plate, only to realize that there isn’t a garbage can in sight. This leads to the domino effect of leaving the plate on the table and allowing it to sit long enough to attract the attention of some hungry pests. When hosting your own pool party, you can make it easier on your guests by placing a trash can or two in the yard for their convenience. If the kids forget to throw out their trash during their mad dash back into the pool, make sure to take care of their trash before the insects find it. Ants, wasps, fruit flies, house flies, and gnats are all often found near food-related trash since none of them are picky about the food they consume. If possible, it is best for the trash cans to have lids that cover the trash when not in use. Yellow jackets in particular like to hover around food-filled trash cans, so covering the garbage will subsequently prevent the aggressive insects from finding it.

Use Coverings for Food

Speaking of coverings, it is a good idea to cover as many of the serving dishes as possible. Pool parties often feature a meal that is served buffet-style to make it easy on both the host and the hungry guests. When people aren’t busy helping themselves to all of the classic summer dishes — barbecued meats, potato salad, baked beans, corn on the cob, chips and dips of various flavors — it is important to keep everything covered. There are plenty of solutions if your serving dishes don’t come with their own lids. Some of the most common coverings include tin foil, colanders, plastic wrap, dish towels, and napkins. Make sure to keep any eye on the serving station and to clean up any crumbs and spills that inevitably accumulate as people serve themselves. A tidy and covered food table is far less appealing to pests, so it is a good idea to clean as you see the need. Also, make sure to keep all drink coolers closed since the lids aren’t just there to keep the beverages ice cold. Insects want to cool off too, and they will jump at the chance to do so if the cooler lids are left open!

Use Multi-Functional Decor

There are plenty of ways you can decorate the yard to serve  as the prime location for an exciting pool party. Some of the best decorations actually serve a purpose besides just making the yard look nicer. For one, mosquito netting can keep the tiny pests away from your party and also add a fun decor piece to the scene. There are plenty of nice options that range in sizes, so you can choose to simply cover the serving table or conceal your entire patio. Another way to protect your food is to buy a couple of food tents. These little tents will cover most serving dishes and are easy to remove when someone wants to grab a few chips from the bowl. A third decor option may seem a little strange, but it is actually “on theme” for summer when you think about it. As it turns out, citrus peels repel quite a few pests, such as mosquitoes and ants. After you use the lemons, oranges, and limes in your party fare, save the peels and place them all around the dishes on the food table. Nothing says “summer” like a table full of fresh fruit, even if it’s just the peels!

Allow Pool Toys to Dry

Once the party is winding down and the children are officially too tired to continue swimming, it is a great idea to set up all of the pool toys and floats to dry out properly overnight. Get all of the floats and rafts out of the pool and set them on the concrete, placing them upside down to allow the water to drain out. Before everyone gets out of the pool, ask them to make sure that all dive toys and balls are taken out of the pool and set on the side. If you have some competitive kids on your hands, you could make a game out of it by rewarding the one who gathers the most toys with some kind of sweet treat! Make sure that all of the toys are squeezed out and will drain properly, then put them all away when they’re fully dry. The toys and floats that are left out in the pool could be used by insects as their own personal rafts, which would not be fun to find when you want to use them for yourself. As a side note, make sure to check the chest or container of pool toys before you take the items out for the party. Pests of all kinds like to hide in these spots since the containers are dry and cool. There is nothing more terrifying than grabbing a pool noodle from the chest and finding a giant spider on the other end — trust us.

Receive Preventative Services From Pointe Pest Control

Of course, the most efficient way to ensure that your pool party is pest-free is to receive professional services beforehand. At Pointe Pest Control, our technicians are all highly-trained, experienced, and knowledgable in the most effective ways to treat and prevent pests. We begin every service with a thorough inspection of the property in order to find all evidence of pest activity and to determine the species that are causing problems. Our team will then create a customized treatment plan that will solve each pest issue you have, as well as prevent the pests from returning in the future. You never have to worry about toxic chemicals around your home when you choose Pointe because all of our treatments are environmentally-friendly and safe for people and pets. For a free quote on the most reliable and caring pest control services around, contact us today!

Citations

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