1

STAY ON TOP OF YOUR LANDSCAPING

Bugs like to congregate in weedy, overgrown areas, as the overgrowth provides cover for their habitats. Trimming your bushes and hedges and regularly weeding your garden will help to ensure that you aren’t accidentally creating the ideal conditions for an insect subdivision.

2

AVOID STANDING WATER

If you’re waging a war against mosquitoes, you need to be on the lookout for any standing water. Stagnant water is a breeding ground for skeeters, which means not only do they collect there but they multiply. Be sure to change the water in kiddie pools and bird baths often, and ensure that the motor and pipes are working on any water features.

3

SECURE GARBAGE AND COVER FOOD

This one is probably a no brainer, but bugs are attracted to sugar of all kinds. Make sure your garbage cans are cleaned regularly (insects will zero in on any sticky residue!) and sealed up tight. When you’re dining alfresco, keep food covered as much as possible to avoid unwanted dinner guests.

4

Choose plants that repel problem insects.

Identify the pests that bug you the most and research the plants and flowers that will keep them at bay. Here are just a few of the flora you might consider:

  • Lavender: This sweet-smelling flower is a natural repellant for house flies, mosquitoes and other unwanted winged creatures. Planting lavender close to your home’s entryways can go a long way to keeping these bugs outside.
  • Lemongrass: Citronella candles and coils are age-old tools for keeping mosquitoes at bay, but if you want all-day defence, consider planting lemongrass. Citronella is the natural oil found in lemongrass, and the plant works the same way (with up to 100 percent efficacy!).
  • Allium: This pretty flowering plant comes in many different colours and has been considered a universal insecticide for years. They are said to work against aphids, slugs, cabbage worms, carrot flies and more.

5

Research products to keep bugs at bay

There are many genius items on the market to help control bugs — some natural and others, not so much. We’ve already mentioned citronella products and you can always go the route of traditional DEET-based bug sprays, but you can also consider battery-powered metofluthrin devices, ultrasonic protection, bug-zapping lights and more.
Katie Dupuis Photo

Katie—a veteran of the magazine industry in Canada—has worked at some of the country’s most iconic brands. She began her career at Chatelaine, where she moved up the ranks from editorial assistant to assistant managing editor, then transitioned into special projects at Rogers Publishing, where she contributed to the company’s stable of titles. She then spent three years as managing editor of Today’s Parent, before taking on the editor-in-chiefship of Walmart Live Better, a custom magazine for Walmart Canada, in early 2015.

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