Summer insects: what really works to keep them away from your table

Outdoor meals are one of the pleasures of summer in France, from garden lunches to terrace dinners. However warm weather can also bring unwanted visitors such as mosquitoes, wasps and flies. 

While these insects can be a nuisance, many play an important role in nature. Bees and other pollinators are essential for ecosystems and food production, while wasps help regulate populations of other insects. The aim is therefore not to eliminate insects, but to reduce unnecessary encounters while avoiding methods that damage biodiversity. 

Make your table less attractive to insects

Many insects are attracted not by people themselves, but by what is on the table.

“Not attracting them is difficult,” Grégory L’Ambert, head of the preventive tiger mosquito control and public health unit at EID Méditerranée told The Connexion. “They are often looking for sugars or food that we have on the table, whether it is sweet drinks, fruit or fruit juices.” 

However, simple habits can reduce unwanted visits:

• Keep food covered until it is served

• Close bottles, cans and glasses when they are not being used

• Clean up spills quickly

• Avoid leaving leftovers or food waste outside

The best mosquito control starts before mosquitoes appear 

For mosquitoes, prevention is one of the most effective strategies.

“The best mosquito is the one that is not there,” said Mr L’Ambert.

Mosquitoes need water to develop, which is why removing breeding sites around homes is so important. The tiger mosquito, now established in many areas of France, can reproduce in very small amounts of stagnant water. 

“It is not about draining a marsh or a river,” Mr L’Ambert explained. “The mosquitoes that bite us are often developing in collections of water around our homes: watering cans, rain collectors, or things that collect rainwater.” 

Gardeners who collect rainwater should especially pay attention. “Rainwater collectors are very good because recovering rainwater is ecological,” he said. “But they really need to be completely airtight. Otherwise, they become little mosquito factories.” 

Checking plant saucers, buckets, gutters and outdoor containers regularly can significantly reduce the number of mosquitoes around a home. 

A simple solution people often overlook: fans

When mosquitoes are already present, many people immediately think about sprays or chemical solutions. But Mr L’Ambert highlighted that they should be a last resort, and shared a much simpler method. 

“What I think is underestimated is the use of fans,” he said.

“For mosquitoes, especially tiger mosquitoes, it can be very effective because they do not fly very well. If you have one or two reasonably sized fans blowing air towards your legs or your body, the mosquito will have difficulty reaching you. After a while, it gives up and goes elsewhere.”

They can also help with other flying insects around the table, although less so with larger ones such as flies.

Do citronella, plants and essential oils really work? 

Many people use citronella candles, aromatic plants or essential oils hoping to create a mosquito-free outdoor space. However, Mr L’Ambert said their effectiveness is often overestimated. 

“They smell good, but mosquitoes don’t care.”

He explained that while some compounds can show effects in laboratory studies or under very specific conditions, they do not provide reliable protection during a typical outdoor meal.

“The only studies that have shown an effect with citronella require very large amounts of citronella around the person,” he said. “A small pot of citronella on a table will not stop mosquitoes from coming to bite you.”

Citronella plants can still be pleasant additions to a garden or balcony, but they should not be considered a mosquito barrier.

Which mosquito repellents actually work? 

For protection, Mr L’Ambert recommends looking for proven active ingredients. “These three molecules work,” he said. “DEET, IR3535 and icaridin.”

“If it contains one of these, it is an effective repellent. If it does not contain one of these, there is little chance that it will work.”

What about mosquito traps and insect-killing devices? 

Mosquito traps are sometimes used around homes, but they are not a replacement for basic protection. They should also be positioned carefully. 

“If you have a mosquito trap at home, you should not put it next to your terrace or where you eat,” said Mr L’Ambert. “Otherwise, you are attracting mosquitoes to the area where you are sitting.”

Other insect-killing devices can also have unwanted effects. Bug zappers, for example, do not only affect insects that people consider annoying but can kill many non-target insects such as bees.

Why do some people attract more mosquitoes than others? 

Many people notice that certain guests seem to receive more bites than others. “People can attract mosquitoes a little more because the bacteria living on their skin produce smells that attract mosquitoes more than others,” Mr L’Ambert explained.

Mosquitoes also detect other signals, including body temperature and natural smells produced by our bodies. 

Someone who has just exercised, is sweating, or has more exposed skin may be easier for mosquitoes to find.

However, the differences between individuals are often smaller than people think.

“Someone who is wearing shorts and a T-shirt will naturally be bitten more than someone wearing trousers and long sleeves,” he said.

Protect yourself while protecting nature

Mr L’Ambert warned against insecticide treatments around homes. “The last thing people should do is use chemical treatments,” he said. “You are going to kill all the biodiversity in your garden.”

These treatments can also have limited effectiveness because they do not address the conditions that attract mosquitoes in the first place.

He also encouraged people to reconsider the idea that every insect outside is a problem. “It is a good thing that there are insects,” he said. “It shows that our environment is relatively healthy and diverse.” 

The goal is to find a balance that allows people and nature to share the same space. As Mr L’Ambert said: “We are the ones eating outside in their environment.”