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Nothing ruins a good time in your backyard faster than one thousand uninvited guests who are all there to dine on you! To protect your friends and family from the blight of mosquitos here's some helpful tips and tricks.

There are two main types of mosquitos you need to worry about when you're hanging out in your backyard: the Asian Tiger Mosquito and the Common Malaria Mosquito. Both of these insects carry diseases that can be transmitted through their bites. While most of us think of mosquitos as a night time problem, the Asian Tiger Mosquito feeds mainly during the day, so it's important to be vigilant anytime you're outdoors.

Get rid of standing water

Ponds, kiddy pools, and improperly drained yards can attract mosquitos. Mosquitos lay their eggs in standing fresh water therefore, any of the aforementioned water sources offer a perfect breeding ground. To avoid a bug-tastrophe at your next picnic, do your best to drain any standing water in the yard, empty kiddy pools or other dumpable water sources, and keep your guests away from ponds or other permanent fresh water sources.

Make natural repellents part of your landscape

Placing plants in your yard that naturally contain the same chemicals found in repellents may help deter mosquitos, especially if you have a deer problem! You may be scratching your head right about now, wondering what deer and repelling mosquitos have in common. Well, most of the ingredients used as "natural" mosquito repellents are chemicals that plants produce to protect themselves from animals that feed on them (like deer). However, a lot of the time these chemicals aren't released unless the plant is actually harmed. Therefore, if you fill your yard with mosquito repelling plants like citronella, make sure to rough 'em up before your next party. Or if you have a deer problem, let the deer feed!

Tent areas where guests will be eating

If you're having a small get-together, it may be easiest to tent the area where guests will be eating. This will eliminate any concerns of food accidently being sprayed with bug spray and will keep out other unwanted guests like bees and flies. Many companies make canopy tents that have mosquito net accessories and a few companies even make mosquito nets that you can attach to outdoor umbrellas.

Set out candles or lanterns

There are now a myriad of options for repelling mosquitos while providing your guests with mood lighting. For a sophisticated get-together we encourage you to try a lantern, like Thermacell's mosquito repellent patio lantern, which can be hung decoratively or placed on a flat surface. If you're looking to party late into the night though, you may want to consider a more traditional approach and use candles, which last longer than lanterns. Candles that contain Geraniol are much more effective than Citronella at repelling mosquitos, so make sure you look for candles that specifically contain this ingredient. When using a candle make sure not to burn it for too long, the general rule is 1 hour of every 1" in diameter. So if you're looking to party all night long be sure to get wide candles. Also, whenever using candles make sure to keep in mind general fire safety: never leave candles unattended and keep them away from kids, pets and flammable objects. Whether you're using candles or lanterns you'll want to make sure you strategically place your repellents to make sure you have even and adequate coverage. Most of these products repel up to a 15 by 15 square foot area, but be sure to check the packaging and then place accordingly.

Spray the day before

If you're going to be having a large outdoor soirée, we suggest trying Off!'s Backyard Pretreat. Simply attach the bottle to a hose and spray down the area you are planning on using for your party at least24 hours in advance.

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