For outdoor areas with no prior infestations, Wong recommends using a preventative pest control spray at least once every three months, and at the beginning of spring, to keep bugs at bay. “Spraying in early spring is an important preventative measure because it eliminates nests and colonies before pests have a chance to reproduce,” he explains. “In the summer, when warm weather brings higher pest activity, we recommend increasing the frequency of spraying to once per month.”

If you were unable to spray this spring, Wong says it’s not a problem. “Both preventative and curative pesticides can be sprayed at regular intervals to help kill and control active pest populations in your yard, just remember to check the label first,” he says. “There are also a variety of safe, eco-friendly repellents that can be sprayed around outdoor furniture and common areas to keep pests at bay.”

To tackle mosquitoes, Wong suggests spraying in the cooler hours of the morning or night when they are the most active to achieve the best results. “Pay particular attention when spraying dark, humid areas where they like to rest, and remove or cover any bodies of standing water where they lay eggs,” he says.

When dealing with ants, Wong says spraying can be counterproductive. “For ants, we advise against spraying because that will only warn other ants to stay away and search for food away from the area you sprayed,” he explains. “Ants are social insects, which means they live in large colonies or groups. Instead of spraying household ant killer, use ant non-repellent baits which will allow them to share the poison with other ants within their colony thus eliminating the source of the problem.

For flying nest insects like bees and wasps, Wong recommends spraying late in the evening or at night when they are at rest to minimize the risk of getting stung. “Be careful not to shake or disturb the nest, and make sure to cover nest entrances as well as surrounding areas.”