With the wacky weather we’ve been experiencing, it may be hard this year to call Memorial Day “the unofficial start of summer.” Monster tornadoes, snow in some parts of the country in May and your un-basic weirdness from Ma Nature. But we’re Americans. We don’t let stuff get in the way on the day we honor our soldiers and eat more hot dogs and burgers in a given afternoon than a brontosaurus.

Beer and soda will flow. Chips, ice cream, barrels of mustard and catsup will be consumed. Weather permitting, all of this takes place al fresco. Outside. In backyards, parks; anywhere we can park to pull-out a cooler or picnic basket as large as the moon.

But then there’s the bad karma. Bugs.

 

Don’t Let Pests Make You Wear Haz-Mat Suits

Vulcan Termite and Pest Control, Inc. doesn’t want you to experience a plague of pests when you’re whooping-it-up. Nothing worse than coming down with a bad case of encephalitis or West Nile Virus from ‘skeeters. Ticks are likewise bummers since they carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease.

And hell should rain-down on the ants, bees, flies and other critters, too, that disturb our fun. That in mind, we offer these tips to keep the insect guest list down to a minimum:

• Look, dark clothes are great for Goths. But, haven’t we outgrown that bleak period of our lives? Shed the black and don the lightest colored clothing that you have in your closet. The weather is warm so you can’t wear it like a sheik. But whatever parts of your body you normally cover, go light.
• This is something you should do on a regular basis, not just on family gatherings during the holidays. Standing water should be dumped. Places like uncirculated liquids in plant saucers under the pots, recycle bins, pool covers, old tires and trash cans. Refresh the H2O especially in kiddie pools, pet bowls and bird baths.
• Got a baby? Get some mosquito netting. It should be placed over baby carriers.
• If the child is over two-years old, spritz them with DEET. Make sure you follow the directions to a “T.” If everyone is in-and-out of the water, you may need to do a light reapplication after they towel-off. Warning: Never apply DEET to cuts or irritated skin or children’s hands or faces. When you apply it to the bigger folks, start with the teenager and adult hands first, then carefully rub on the face (don’t get too close to the mouth because it tastes like yucky). Never rub it under your clothing and really, plop it on as far away from the food as you can (like another county; just kidding). Never hurts to double-up by combining the repellent with sunscreen.
• If you’re going to pitch a tent or have some vacation property by a lake, forest or volcano, take an inventory of the screens. If you see and holes, patch ’em up.
• Purchase some citronella candles and scatter them all over the place.

Lastly, if you’re venturing far away from home, be on guard for bed bugs. They are most likely found in hotels, movie theaters and other public places. Salute our veterans and kill the pests so that you’ll go home with only a belly-ache, hangover or a stubbed toe. No one needs a blood-sucker, stinger or miserable disease in search of fun and remembrance.

Original Source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/healthy-living/keeping-pests-away-from-your-picnic

Image Source: Assyria Game Studio-Picnic Panic