Don’t Let Your Date Get Bugged - 4 Romantic Ways To Keep Mosquitoes Out Of Your Candlelit Dinner
The summer months are coming soon, and that means mosquitoes will be out in full force, looking for unsuspecting victims to annoy. Some might call it crazy to plan an outdoor candlelit date this time of year, but why should some pesky bugs control your life? In fact, using these tips, you can not only repel insects without using any loud bug zappers or insecticide sprays, but also impress your date.
Pick A Few Flowers
Who doesn't swoon at the thought of a fresh flower bouquet? Well, with the right garden and the right selection of flowers on the dinner table, you can not only make your date's heart throb but also annoy mosquitoes into leaving the both of you alone. You see, many flowers that smell pleasant to humans have an overpoweringly unpleasant smell to mosquitoes and other insects.
If you want to keep mosquitoes away, surround your date spot with these fragrant and beautiful plants:
- Marigolds
- Geraniums
- Lavender
- Pennyroyal
- Rosemary
- Peppermint
Add a bouquet of the same blooms on the table, and as far as your date is concerned, you're the master of romance.
Light Some Candles
A candlelit dinner has to have candles, right? But don't settle for just any old wax candles during mosquito season: to keep the bugs away, you have to go for citronella. Like other plants, citronella's scent is too strong for mosquitoes and other bugs, so burning citronella-scented candles will help drive them away. While the candles are more effective the more citronella they contain, you can also add other scents if you like without making too much of an impact on their usefulness.
Candles can be made at home following simple online instructions, or you can just buy them at the store. If you do choose to buy them, make sure they contain real citronella oil and not artificial fragrances, which may not always work against bugs.
Tidy Up The Yard
You can't have the place looking unkempt for your date anyway, right? Performing some essential lawn care a day or two before your date will also help you keep bugs from intruding on your dinner.
When it comes to your yard, mosquitoes love two things: tall grass and standing water. Be sure to keep your grass cut very short in order to give the mosquitoes nowhere to hide. As for the standing water, it's where mosquitoes lay their eggs and incubate the larva. Tip out any old rain water onto the grass and give the container a quick clean to ensure no eggs or larva remain inside.
Cook Italian Food
This one only works if your date is also a huge fan of Italian food, so make sure you know they are before you get started. Key ingredients in many Italian dishes include basil, oregano, and garlic -- all of which are beyond disgusting to the nose of a mosquito. These ingredients are most effective for their scents, so be sure to use fresh plants when you cook, not dried spices.
As an added bonus, when you eat enough garlic, mosquito-repelling compounds slowly come out of your pores for hours afterward. This ensures that mosquitoes will avoid landing on your skin, but you should probably make sure your date shares a love of garlic before put an extra clove or two in the lasagna.
Don't let bugs ruin your romantic evening. If you must ask for ideas from companies like Greenleaf Organic Pest Management. You and your date deserve to get to know one another in comfort, not through conversation mostly punctuated by swatting mosquitoes. Plus, when you show your date the area all set up with beautiful flowers and delicious food, they're sure to fall for you right then and there.
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