Being outside is a joy, and the exercise and fresh air is key to staying mentally healthy for you and your family. But outdoor fun can often lead to itchy bug bites. Not only can that spoil the fun, but these days you can’t be too careful about insect-borne illnesses. How do you make the most of warm weather without getting bitten? Here’s important advice from the Spiritself Health to keep you working and playing outside without bug bites, and what you can do if you are bitten.
Start with Smart Landscaping
One of the best ways to deal with mosquitoes, ticks, and other pesky bug bites is to not invite them into your yard. You can do this by making some adjustments to the great outdoors. One idea is to add some plants to your landscaping that naturally repel biting insects. Plants like peppermint, rosemary, and basil offer the bonus perks of being nontoxic, and you can add them to your recipes. Consider catnip for the family feline as well, which, as attractive as it is to kitties, is off-putting to mosquitoes. Also look into landscaping with butterflies in mind. These beautiful winged creatures love lavender and mint.
Get the kids involved in your gardening, too. It’s a great opportunity to talk to them about nature and the importance of being environmentally responsible. Creating a healthy ecosystem in your yard is a great experience for the entire family. However, if you need a helping hand sorting out your planting and landscaping details, it might be worth hiring a professional gardener. They can take into account your soil, growing conditions, what will suit your needs best, and have it look great in the end. It’s the perfect way to ensure your yard is safe and enjoyable for family and pets, and unattractive to pests.
Meanwhile, if there’s a tree in your yard that tends to attract pests, consider having it removed. Just keep in mind that prices can fluctuate depending on the size of the tree; This Old House says to expect to pay between $150 and $2,000 to have local professionals remove the offending tree from your property. Always ask for references and request a written estimate before they get started.
Make Outside Safer
If you’re working from home while juggling the kids, you’ll definitely want to encourage playing outside. You may hire a babysitter or grab your laptop and work while they play in the yard, but it’s best to make sure their outside space is as safe and pest free as possible. Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so while outside, eliminate questionable areas such as clogged gutters, lingering toys, and buckets.
If you have things like pet bowls or bird baths, you can safely use products containing a bacteria called Bti to keep mosquitoes from using them. Ticks also like moisture for breeding, so you’ll be denying them as well. It’s a win all the way around!
Safeguard Your House
We think of insects as an outside problem, but they can make it into our houses, too. If you or your family are seeing mosquitoes, fleas, or ticks indoors, take some precautions to avoid bug bites. Check all windows and doors for gaps. If you find any broken windows or gaps that might be letting in pests, research home window repair companies near me and look for positive reviews. If you find one that has reviews about pest management, that’s a bonus!
You can also take matters into your own hands by caulking gaps around windows yourself, and adding weather-stripping to doors with gaps. Not only will these measures help with pests, but they will also prevent drafts and loss of cool air during the summer.
Dealing with Ticks
When you and the kids go out to play, wearing light colors, long pants and long sleeves can help you avoid being bitten. If you find a tick on yourself or your child, Baby Center points out that there is no need to panic. If the tick hasn’t attached itself, simply remove it, since they must attach to transmit diseases.
Author: Camille Johnson
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