How to Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Restaurant Patio

When the weather is pleasant, many enjoy dining at restaurants with outdoor seating. What your diners don’t want, however, are mosquitoes biting them or buzzing around their seats as they’re eating and drinking. Discover the best ways to keep mosquitoes away so your customers will continue to return to dine on your patio.

What attracts mosquitoes to restaurant patios? 

In addition to standing water and dense vegetation, humans are the biggest attractants for mosquitoes. People emit carbon dioxide (CO2) when they breathe, which draws in mosquitoes. So when a crowd of people is dining outdoors on your patio, the amount of CO2 signals to mosquitoes that there are plenty of hosts nearby to feed on.

When is mosquito season? 

Unfortunately, mosquitoes are most active when diners want to enjoy their meals outside on your restaurant patio. The insects are active at slightly different times of the year, depending on where you live. 

During the spring, summer, and early fall, mosquitoes are considered “in season” in the northeast and midwest. But mosquito season can run from February to November in the hotter southeastern and southwestern states. 

Although female mosquitoes can bite people at any time of the day, they are most active in the evening and during humid or wet weather.

How do you keep mosquitoes away from your restaurant patio? 

The presence of mosquitoes will not only disrupt an otherwise pleasurable dining experience, but these bloodsucking insects can also spread diseases to your customers. Here are some preventive tips on how to keep mosquitoes away from a patio to protect your guests. 

Remove standing water

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water that can be as small as a tiny puddle. The lids on your restaurant’s refuse cans or dumpsters can accumulate pooled water on or beneath them, so a daily examination of the bins will help keep mosquitoes away. 

Other areas of standing water that are often not considered are potted plants you may have on your restaurant patio. Drain the trays of these pots after it rains and after watering the plants to get rid of any excess moisture. The same is true for items around the dining area that can collect water, from bird baths to decorative accent pieces. 

Other sources of standing water are overgrown bushes and dense vegetation close to your dining patio. Mosquitoes use these areas to rest and find water. Keep bushes well-trimmed and away from dining areas.

Switch to yellow outdoor lighting

The warm hue of yellow lighting is less visible to mosquitoes, so it may draw fewer of them to your dining patio. Additionally, fluorescent lights arranged along the edges of your patio can lead mosquitoes away from diners.

Use outdoor fans

Installing a few fans on the patio can direct flying insects away from diners and help create a more comfortable atmosphere. Be sure to carefully plan where the fans are installed so the air isn’t blown directly onto diners.

Treat water features

As noted above, stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. If your restaurant patio has a water feature, such as a fountain or small pond, it’s best to ensure the water is constantly circulating. Remove any vegetation from the water that will attract the insects. If possible, add fish to your water feature, as fish eat mosquitoes. 

Call a pest control company

It’s challenging to completely prevent mosquitoes from biting or disturbing customers as they dine outdoors, even when you take all of the above precautions. If these pesky insects are interfering with your outdoor dining business, it’s best to call a pest control company to treat the areas that act as mosquito breeding grounds on your property. 

Mosquito pest control services

Contact the professionals at Hawx Pest Control. Our team of local experts will inspect your property to help determine specific treatment options to control mosquitoes and provide you with a free estimate for the services needed.  We use only the highest quality tools and products to give you the best results to keep your customers safe and comfortable.