One of the easiest ways of building a strong team in the workplace is by organising fun activities that everyone can participate in. Some drinks and barbecue on a warm Friday afternoon can go a long way in rejuvenating and strengthening work relationships. It’s inexpensive, and the benefits that come out of it for the business are immense.

It is during these kinds of events that employees are able to interact with each other for improved cooperation in the workplace.

But often you’ll encounter some uninvited guests in your BBQ: Bugs. These critters will get in the way and make everyone in attendance very uncomfortable. Some of the common intruders of outdoor drinks and barbecues include:

Flies

When a person sees flies around, their perception is that the place is unhygienic – and to some extent, they would be right.

Other than their unsightliness, flies also transmit diseases as they feed indiscriminately on all sorts of materials from animal waste to carcases spreading germs wherever they land. Some of the diseases transmitted by flies include E.coli and Salmonella.

This makes flies not only unpleasant, but a potential health hazard and all efforts should be taken to ensure that they stay away.

Ants

They might not bite, but ants can be a lot of trouble when they invade your get-together. They’ll render food inedible when they get in it and will contaminate any cooking surface they come into contact with.

In addition to this, the sensation of ants crawling on them can be irritating to your guests and a real downer for any gathering.

Mosquitoes

If your party extends past dusk, these insects will pose a problem for you. They fly around noisily and bite painfully. In addition to this, mosquitoes are also notorious for spreading diseases some of which include dengue fever, West Nile Virus, Ross River virus, malaria, among others.

These pests can make guests very uncomfortable forcing your event to end earlier than planned for. It’s best to plan ahead to ensure that mosquitoes don’t get in the way of your BBQ.

How to keep pests away from your barbeque

Repelling these unwanted visitors isn’t as hard as you might think. Follow the following tips to prevent pests from ruining your event.

• Keep everything covered. Store your food in a food tent to deter pests from getting to it. All drinks even those in drinkware should be covered as well as serving dishes and condiments. You can use either snap-on lids or aluminium foil to do it. This will ensure that the food does not attract flies, ants, and other pests.
• Keep your trash far from where the people are. Trash containers should be kept far from where guests are gathered and covered so as not to attract flying and crawling pests.
• Consider serving the food inside. If the team is not too large, consider serving the food inside and then doing the other activities outside after your guests have filled up. Controlling pests indoors is easier than out in the open.
• Clear nearby grass and bushes. Tall grass and overgrown bushes provide shelter and food for mosquitoes. By having this overgrown vegetation around your property, you will be harbouring mosquitoes that will later come out to bite you.
• Keep the lights high. Flies are attracted to light at night. To keep them away, place LEDs suspended on high poles well above your guests and the food they are consuming. You can use scented candles to light the dining tables.

Even with the above measures, pests might still be able to penetrate your defences. Combine these measures with professional pest control products to ensure no critter comes around.

Pestrol Pest Control provides the perfect solutions for outdoor pest control. Their products are easy to use, safe and very effective.