Insects are an important piece of the natural food chain, but if the buzzing and stinging in your backyard has you running back inside, use these tips to take back your yard. Change any standing water (like that in a birdbath or kiddie pool) often- stagnant water is a magnet for mosquitoes.
Garbage cans and the sticky residue left in recyclables can attract flies and ants, so move the trash away from prime entertaining areas and try to keep trash as clean as possible. While some people are squeamish about bats, a single bat can eat several thousand insects a night! So bolster the bat population by building a bat house in your yard. Birds can help control the insect population as well, so attract feathered friends with a bird feeder and by planting small trees and twiggy shrubs.