One of the great pleasures of owning a home is relaxing in the backyard and enjoying the smells and sounds of summer.

Unfortunately one of summer's many sounds goes something like this:

Bzzzzzzzzzzz. Slap!

That's right, it's insect season and millions of pesky flying and crawly things stand ready to make a backyard outing miserable.

Backyard Enemy No. 1 is, of course, the mosquito. There are at least 45 species of the blood-sucking pest in Wyoming, according to University of Wyoming assistant extension entomologist Scott Schell. They thrive so well in some Cowboy State communities early-evening outings can be more scratching than recreating.

The fact mosquitoes carry the much-publicized West Nile Virus make them not only a nuisance, but a legitimate health threat.

For the most part, however, it is possible to keep mosquitoes from crashing the party. Joseph M. Conlon, technical advisor for the American Mosquito Control Association, said a homeowner who practices the "Three Ds: Drain, Dress and Defend" can have a virtually mosquito-free backyard.

Drain

Mosquitoes are an aquatic insect and need standing water to begin their life cycle. Conlon therefore recommends eliminating any nearby standing water, and doing it regularly "because it takes mosquitoes 7 days to go from egg to an adult."

Old tires, paint cans and bird baths are often standing water sources. But there are other places that collect water homeowners often don't think about.

"Mosquitoes will breed in well nigh anything," he added. "I've seen them breed in a Coke bottle cap. If you've got a wood pile outside and you've got a tarpaulin covering it, any crinkle in that tarpaulin that catches water is likely to breed mosquitoes. … Another good place for them to breed around people's houses is air conditioner drip pans, so they need to check those also."

Dress

Mosquitoes are on the hunt for bare skin, so Conlon advises dressing in long sleeves and pants, if possible. Conlon said a loose fit is best, because "mosquitoes can and will bite through tight-fitting clothing."

Mosquitoes are also attracted to contrast, so dress according to skin type.

"If you're a dark-skinned person, wear dark clothing. If you're a light-skinned person, wear light clothing," Conlon said. "That's not hard and fast, but it will reduce the incidence."

Clothing treated with a pesticide called permethrin also provides an effective barrier against biting insects. Schell said the presence of permethrin creates a "hot-foot repellency" to any insect that lands.

""It doesn't always kill them, but it's disagreeable to them when they land," he said.

A line of outdoor apparel called Buzz Off comes with permethrin impregnated in the fibers. Conlon said it is similar to military uniforms used in jungle warfare, and is long-lasting and effective.

Permethrin sprays are also available for clothing, and "you can even wash it and it won't come off," Schell said.

Defend

Dressing in long sleeves and pants on a hot summer night isn't terribly comfortable, so most homeowners and their guests choose to defend themselves. The good news is there are some very effective defenses.

Applying repellent to skin and clothing is the best tactic. Conlon observed the Centers for Disease Control recommends three: DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus.

DEET is "the old standby," he said, and still very effective. Many don't use it, however, because of its peculiar smell and "greasy feel."

Picaridin is a synthetic developed in the mid-1980s that is marketed under the Cutter label. Its 15 percent formulation repels both mosquitoes and ticks, and Conlon calls it his favorite "because it doesn't have any smell to it, it has a light feel and it doesn't plasticize."

Oil of lemon eucalyptus, or Repel, is preferred by others because it is a natural substance. It is quite effective, however, Conlon said. He warned any repellent must be applied to all exposed skin to be close to 100 percent effective.

There are other defenses homeowners might consider. Schell said a product called ThermaCELL uses electricity to vaporize permethrin into a repellent barrier. The barrier is effective in areas as large as 225 sq. ft, according to www.mosquitorepellent.com.

"I've heard and seen some decent reports on the effectiveness of (ThermaCELL)," Schell said.

A little awareness of what attracts mosquitoes can also come in handy. Conlon said mosquitoes follow scent cues to their prey, and are especially attracted to the carbon dioxide our bodies produce.

Schell said the female hormone estrogen is another attractant, which explains why women sometimes are more susceptible to bites. A substance called octenol is also "kind of the last come-on to bring them in," Schell added. That's bad news for wearers of certain cosmetics.

"It turns out octenol is commonly found in many cosmetic products. … Essentially women may be dousing themselves with something that is attractive to mosquitoes," he said.

Schell and Conlon both cautioned against using home remedies. Conlon said some reputed repellents, like garlic and Vitamin B1, have not proven to be effective when tested.

Electric bug zappers also do little to control biting insects.

"What bug zappers do will attract mosquitoes into your area, because they can see ultraviolet light from a distance," Conlon said. "But when they get into an area and you happen to be outside they're going to track a carbon dioxide gradient to you. So they're actually bringing them into your yard."

He encourages keeping bats and birds around, but warns bug-eating wildlife fail "to serve as effective controls on mosquitoes. Mosquitoes make up less than 1 percent of the diet of bats, for example," Conlon said. "The energy return from a mosquito is not worth it for a bat to go out and catch one of the blasted things."

Birds and bats can be part of a comprehensive defense, however. Conlon reminded that those who combine draining, dressing and defending - especially defending - can have a virtually bite-free backyard.

"People need to use repellents because no matter what you do, no matter how much you drain, no matter how you dress, there are still going to be mosquitoes out there," he said. "I'm saying that for people who go out and buy trapping mechanisms and all kinds of things to keep mosquitoes out of their yard, I'm here to tell you you're still going to need repellents."

Assistant features editor Willy Zimmer is a former grounds manager and certified arborist. He can be reached at (307) 266-0524 or via email at William.Zimmer@casperstartribune.net.

These can bug, too

Mosquitoes aren't the only pest that can disrupt a backyard barbecue. University of Wyoming assistant extension entomologist Scott Schell observed bees and wasps are often unwelcome visitors when the food is served.

"One of the worst pests at backyard barbecues can be yellowjackets," Schell said. "They are interested in the meat that you're cooking, and they also like sweets so they can get around a can of pop, crawl in there and then somebody can take a swig and get stung in the mouth."

Schell said wasp traps are a good control, and "now is a good time of the year to do it, because essentially the colonies are growing at this stage. The queens are producing the workers that will be foragers so the population grows through the summer and into the fall. That's why Labor Day barbecues are a really bad time for these things because that's the peak of the population."

Schell advises against a blanket application of pesticides to control insects. Pesticides often kill beneficial insects, and pests from neighboring areas quickly fly in and fill the void.

Here are ways to deal with some other common summer pests:

*Flies and ticks: Schell said permethrin on clothing provides a "hot-foot repellency" that effectively discourages biting insect, including flies and ticks.

A product called ThermaCELL vaporizes permethrin to create an insect barrier.

Joseph M. Conlon, technical advisor with the American Mosquito Control Association, said some formulations of mosquito repellents also provide protection against ticks, so check the label when you buy.

*Ants - Ants are another insect that can get busy during an outdoor meal. Schell said ants are looking for protein early in the season "because they're producing more workers."

Later in the summer they are attracted to sweets. Schell said some very effective baits can be purchased that take advantage of those attractions.

"They have baits that are designed to attract the ants, they feed on it and take it back to the colony," he said. "You don't kill a lot of nontarget insects that are beneficial."

*Spiders: These eight-legged visitors rarely bite, and indeed most are beneficial, Schell said.

The black widow spider, however, can ruin a barbecuer's afternoon.

"A black widow female with an egg sack in her web may become aggressive to defend that. They like to build in kind of dark recessed areas that are out of the way. If that's your storage cabinet under your barbecue grill … you want to look before you stick your hand in there," he said.

*Miller moths: These wandering insects annoy by bumbling into faces and food during early summer and fall, while they migrate between the mountains and the plains. Schell observed the moths travel at night and any white light will draw them in, but yellow outdoor lights don't.

Millers are attracted to bug zappers, but Schell warns the moths are vaporized by electricity which can also be a problem.

"There's been some indications when those things are vaporized you're putting a lot of insect parts and proteins out there that can act like allergens," he said.