When you’re getting married in the Forest Preserve, you definitely have to think about insects. Photo by Allison Williams Photography.
Let’s say you’re planning your dream eco-friendly wedding, and you want to have it outdoors. At some point in the process you are going to realize that, if it’s summertime, you are going to be inviting all the local mosquitoes to the buffet–of your guests! No one wants to expose their guests to a zillion mosquito bites (much less ticks), but if you really want your event to be environmentally friendly, do you want to spray insecticide? It’s a dilemma. Fortunately, there are some things you can do that are less toxic and less destructive than calling the local bug spraying service or dousing the place in a toxic yard spray.
The first thing you can do is to warn your guests that there will likely be insects, and that if they want to avoid being bitten, they should remember to use their own repellent. The next thing–which is more hospitable–is to provide insect repellent and a place (away from the food, please!) where people can use it. If you want to provide non-toxic and effective repellents to your guests, try some of the products that contain oil of lemon eucalyptus (different from lemon eucalyptus oil) or picardin. (I learned a lot about these products from reading a Consumer Reports article on the subject. WebMD also has some useful information.)
Beyond personal repellents, there are other things you can do. If you have access to electricity, you can have large fans blowing in your guest area. Mosquitoes (but not ticks) are generally deterred by strong air currents. Most tent rental companies will also rent fans and the generators to run them. (Unfortunately, clean energy generators are not a big business for weddings and smaller events yet, but it may be possible if you have the time and money to devote to making it happen.)
There are also non-toxic products you can spread on the ground to repel mosquitoes, like these granules from Bonide. This product gets good online reviews, but I have not seen any scientific articles reviewing its effectiveness. My guess is that it probably works for a while, but may need to be re-applied periodically. It also is not marketed to repel ticks, so personal insect repellents are still probably your best bet if you know they are in the area.
As a last resort, you can use some of the insecticides (permethrin and pyrethrin products) that are approved for organic farm use and sold for general consumer use. They are still toxic but are less destructive to beneficial insects when they are sprayed after sunset than some other options. They are also human neurotoxins, so if you are concerned about that, they may not be an option.
While insects are a nuisance when you’re planning an outdoor event, there’s no reason why you have to kill them or poison the environment in order to have a comfortable time with your guests.
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