Outdoor Living Brief

How to plan for heat and bugs at D.C. summer gatherings

If you're throwing a BBQ, make sure to plan for D.C.'s "unwanted guests" — heat and bugs, says Kristin Pearson Wilcox, CEO of Capitol Manners.

Why it matters: Your invited guests will thank you.

Here are five ways to make guests more comfortable at your next event, according to Pearson Wilcox:

Set up shade, misters or fans.
Put out citronella candles.
Place potted lavender around the perimeter of your space. (It can repel mosquitoes.)
Leave bug spray in an easily reachable spot.
Offer a cool indoor area people can duck into.

The bottom line: When guests enjoy themselves, they "forget our nation's capital is built on a swamp," Pearson Wilcox tells Axios.