The Best Pest Control Options for Your Outdoor Entertaining Space

'Tis the season for outdoor entertaining, and whether you're inviting your extended family over for a backyard barbecue or an al fresco dinner for your closest friends on your patio, you definitely don't want bugs around. "During the summer, hot and humid weather brings out an abundance of mosquitoes, ants, ticks, termites, and stinging insects (such as bees and wasps), especially near wooded areas," says Timothy Wong of M&M Pest Control in New York City. "The kinds of outdoor pests that homeowners deal with often depends on where you live and the time of year."

And while uninvited insects are always an annoyance, Wong says certain outdoor pests can cause injuries, spread diseases, and damage your property. "Bees, wasps, and certain species of ants are known for painful stings or bites that can result in itchiness, inflammation, and potentially serious allergic reactions," he explains. "Mosquito and tick bites can transmit diseases, and termites can cause significant damage to grass, plants, and structures." Curious how you can keep pesky bugs at bay in your outdoor entertaining area? We asked Wong for advice about the best pest control options, and when to implement them, and here's what he had to share.

Spray regularly, starting in early spring.

For outdoor areas with no prior infestations, Wong recommends using a preventative pest control spray at least once every three months, and at the beginning of spring, to keep bugs at bay. "Spraying in early spring is an important preventative measure because it eliminates nests and colonies before pests have a chance to reproduce," he explains. "In the summer, when warm weather brings higher pest activity, we recommend increasing the frequency of spraying to once per month."

Use a curative spray anytime.

If you were unable to spray this spring, Wong says it's not a problem. "Both preventative and curative pesticides can be sprayed at regular intervals to help kill and control active pest populations in your yard, just remember to check the label first," he says. "There are also a variety of safe, eco-friendly repellents that can be sprayed around outdoor furniture and common areas to keep pests at bay."

Manage mosquitoes by spraying when it's not as hot outside.

To tackle mosquitoes, Wong suggests spraying in the cooler hours of the morning or night when they are the most active to achieve the best results. "Pay particular attention when spraying dark, humid areas where they like to rest, and remove or cover any bodies of standing water where they lay eggs," he says.

Treat ants differently.

When dealing with ants, Wong says spraying can be counterproductive. "For ants, we advise against spraying because that will only warn other ants to stay away and search for food away from the area you sprayed," he explains. "Ants are social insects, which means they live in large colonies or groups. Instead of spraying household ant killer, use ant non-repellent baits which will allow them to share the poison with other ants within their colony thus eliminating the source of the problem."

Don't mess with bees and wasps when they're awake.

For flying nest insects like bees and wasps, Wong recommends spraying late in the evening or at night when they are at rest to minimize the risk of getting stung. "Be careful not to shake or disturb the nest, and make sure to cover nest entrances as well as surrounding areas."