Don't Let Unwanted Pests Ruin Your Tailgate Party

Football season is in full swing and for fans across the country that means weekends are centered around tailgating with family and friends before the game. The early fall is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, but those yummy snacks and the delicious grilled fare leave pests like wasps, mosquitoes, flies and ants looking to crash your party.

To keep pests from ruining your tailgate fun this football season, we recommend the following tips to keep your tailgate pest-free.

• Wasps and yellow jackets are still active this time of year and attracted to sweets, so be sure to keep desserts in sealed containers and serve sugary drinks in covered pitchers.

• Mosquito season in our area actually continues through the end of October and it's important to protect your party-goers from this notorious pest and the diseases they can carry like West Nile Virus. Be sure to apply insect repellent containing DEET to exposed skin before you head outdoors.

• House flies are a common nuisance pest at outdoor parties. To prevent these unwanted guests from crashing your tailgate, be sure to bring well-sealed garbage cans along with your tent and grill and remove the trash regularly throughout the day.

• Ants can quickly infest an outdoor party and even hitchhike back into your car or home and carpenter ants, odorous house ants and argentine ants are the most common types found this time of year. To prevent ants from enjoying your pre-game goodies, keep food sealed in airtight containers and cover it immediately after grilling.

With these simple tips, you can ensure your tailgate party is free of pests. If it was only that easy to take care of the opposing team!