Summer is the perfect season for entertaining. Longer days equal a more relaxed atmosphere, allowing customers and residents to head outside and enjoy warmer weather. But nothing ruins outdoor get-togethers like uninvited guests. Drawing guests out is one thing, but keeping them outside takes a bit of forethought regarding pest control.

Mosquitos

There’s nothing worse than constantly swatting away mosquitoes and dealing with itching skin while trying to enjoy the outdoors on a lovely evening. And customers can leave bad reviews based on their presence. Eliminating standing water (think birdbaths and flowerpots) can help deter these pesky pests from making themselves feel at home at your business.

Flies

Eating outside during the summer months is an open invitation for flies to dive into meals. They aren’t just pesky; they’re also unsanitary and can contaminate the food in your outdoor areas. Flies generally make their homes close to food sources and prefer to gather around lighted areas (hmmm…sounds like people too).

Related: Keep Pests Out Of The Kitchen

Ants

Ants are tricky to get rid of once they’ve made their appearance. They’re social and live in colonies that can reach the hundreds of thousands—and that’s not the type of guests your customers want to mingle with. Most ants make themselves at home in soil and send out their workers to find and collect sugary foods, meats, and grease (AKA party snacks). Not only are they annoying, but they can also damage lawns and inflict painful bites.

Wasps

Unfortunately, there tend to be more not too far away when one wasp is spotted. Paper wasps build aerial nests hanging from trees, roofs, and playground equipment and can become aggressive (stinging!) when trying to defend their nests. When locating a nest on your commercial property, it’s best to let the professionals with the proper equipment and training remove it safely.

Related: Get the 411 on Wasps

Protect Your Patios with Orkin Canada

Our complete Patio Protection program is dedicated to helping your outside space stay pest-free—including restaurants, golf courses, employee break areas, event spots, and outdoor community areas: