It’s that time of year where you want to be able to enjoy your home, and especially outdoors,  whenever possible. But the garden pests have other ideas! The last thing we want when we’re entertaining in the garden, having a picnic, or BBQ is for ants to overrun the table, or for the mosquitos, gnats and fruit flies to swarm around as darkness sets in. Spiders are another garden pest that seem to be defying their own season, coming into our homes more frequently and they seem to be growing in size, too! No, thank you. Here, we look at how you can deter these nuisances as best as possible. 

Mosquitos 

These pests are not as much of a problem during the day, but as night sets in, and the lights are on, they swarm indoors. No-one wants to battle a mosquito as they’re going to bed! 

The easiest solution to keep mosquitos away would be to keep windows and doors closed. But this isn’t always feasible, especially on those hot summer days and nights. Instead, consider installing fly screens on the most-used windows and doors to keep out as many as possible. 

Mosquitos also hate strong scents – as do most of the pests on this list. Whether it’s candles, diffusers, or incense sticks; citronella, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, lemon, and tea tree oil can all deter these bugs from coming near you. Switching your body wash and lotions to include these scents throughout the summer months can also prevent bites! Keep in mind that a lot of essential oils are toxic to cats and dogs so if you are using these in the home, please check which ones will affect your furry friends. 

Another, simple way, to detract mosquitos is to clear your garden of any standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water and they don’t need a lot to accomplish this. So, if you’re planning on spending some quality time outdoors, particularly before any kind of function, ensure gutters, plant pots, sheds, pools and water features are all drained to minimise the appearance of unwanted guests. 

Consider installing screens on the most used windows and doors to stop bugs getting into your home.
Image: Piman Khrutmuang

Fruit flies

These tiny pests love a party but they’re not a very welcome guest. It’s a fine balance when hosting, but try to keep trash contained, food in the fridge or covered, mop up any spills as quickly as possible and generally keep things neat and tidy. 

You can also make fruit fly traps to keep these pests at bay. In a small dish or old plastic bottle, pour a little apple cider vinegar with equal parts water and a dash of washing up liquid. It will cause them to drown but unfortunately if they’re not contained they do bread exponentially! 

They also love warm and damp spaces so make sure drains and piping around the house/doors are clear of water. 

Fungus gnats

If you’ve ever noticed a swarm of, what looks like mosquitos, around your lawn or plants and wondered what they were, you’re likely looking at fungus gnats! 

Fungus gnats love a damp soil so creating drainage for pots and allowing beds to dry out between watering will really help to reduce their numbers. But it will need a multi-pronged approach to get rid of them altogether. In addition to removing moisture, the following can help:

  • Set sticky traps: In plant pots and areas that surround, sticky traps can help to eliminate the swarm.  
  • Add mulch to your beds: For those flowers and plants that need the extra moisture but you’re having to battle fungus gnats, a light layer of mulch can help you strike a balance; it’ll eliminate that surface level moisture but give plenty to the flowers that need it. But be sure to keep on top of organic matter – such as fallen leaves as these create a breeding ground for moisture and fungus gnats.  
  • Repellent: Like with mosquitos, you can create some scent-oriented repellent to keep fungus gnats away from your outdoor space. Try: vinegar, vanilla, pine oil, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender.

Spiders

My absolute nemesis, spiders do seem to be getting larger and coming into the house more throughout the year, not just spring and autumn! If you want to be able to leave windows and doors open throughout the year without having to worry about these pests, here are some ideas:

  • Window and door screens: Like mosquitos and flies, spiders will struggle to get past screens specifically to keep bugs out. It can be a costly install if installing on all windows and doors, so consider which ones you use most often. 
  • Strong scents: They too don’t like strong smells such as peppermint, citrus, eucalyptus, lavender, tea tree, and cinnamon. I’ve found conkers to be an effective tool in the past too, but apparently this is just an old-wives tale.  
  • Keep inside and out, clear and tidy: If you have other pests in the vicinity of your home, such as ants, these will attract spiders to the area as it is a food source. Additionally, outside the home, clear away any cobwebs frequently and close up any gaps or cracks they may get into. In the home, or in spaces you don’t want them (such as garden sheds), keep it tidy and clutter-free, they like dusty and cluttered areas to build their homes so keeping on top of home maintenance can deter them. 
  • Diatomaceous earth: This will effectively kill spiders – and ants if they come into contact with it. For pest problems, you can sprinkle it outside doors and windows but it’s recommended you focus specifically on small cracks and holes pests might get in through. If you have pets, look for food-safe diatomaceous earth as otherwise it is toxic and can even be harmful to humans if ingested, though even food-safe diatomaceous earth can still cause irritation.
  • Spider traps: There are various traps specifically for spiders, so if they find their way into your home, they could get caught in these. However, it’s not a guarantee they’ll take the bait!  
How to keep bugs away in the garden and house
Scents not only create a nice ambiance for your garden gathering but they can deter bugs from biting and causing mayhem at the dinner table. Image: Julia M Cameron

Ants

These summertime foes appear in large armies so once detected, you’ll need to address it quickly! It takes a multi-pronged approach to dealing with ants, here are some tactics you can try: 

  • Identify and address any cracks they can get into: Look around doorways, skirting boards, etc. and if you spot any gaps, apply a caulk or sealant to the area to keep them out. 
  • Remove food sources: They’re looking for something to eat so keep food wrapped up well in the cupboard or if you’re dining al fresco, keep food covered as much as possible. This also means tackling any spills or messes as quickly as possible. 
  • Lay traps: They don’t like diatomaceous earth either so using this around doors and windows can be a way to keep both spiders and ants out. If you’ve identified ant houses or peaks, putting ant traps or powder can help you eliminate the armies faster. Again, if you have pets, you do need to consider if this will affect them in any way. 
  • Scents are another tool in your armory for dealing with ants: citrus fruits, black pepper, peppermint oil, cayenne, thyme, and lavender can all deter ants from intruding on a gathering. 

Scents provide a good first defence with most garden pests. Commonly, citrus, lavender and vinegar seem to be the best scents for tackling most of the pests on this list. Although scents will make for a pleasant ambience as well as some protection to you and your guests whilst you’re enjoying your living spaces, it isn’t a long-term solution to dealing with any persistent pests. In addition to scents, consider the different ways you can deter, trap and eliminate these pests from becoming an unwelcome and longstanding guest. 

Related Posts