Keeping bees and wasps at bay.

• Position: Your Life - Brief Article

Do the aromas of barbecued chicken, vegetables on the grill, and fresh-squeezed lemonade have you salivating during the summer season? Well, it also appeals to some unwanted guests of the stinging variety. "These enticing aromas often attract bees and wasps, which may become aggressive as they try to take a bite out of your burger," cautions Dewey Caron, professor of entomology at the University of Delaware, Newark.

The solution to annoying bees at your family barbecue, he suggests, is to "Share your feast. Put out a small plate of whatever you're serving before the human guests arrive, particularly something sweetened with barbecue sauce. Once the bees discover this snack, carefully move the plate to a location away from your entertainment area. Bees and wasps are highly social insects and communicate with each other, relaying direction and distance of nectar and pollen sources, and yes, whatever you're serving. Once they spread the word, these stinging insects will flock to your `decoy' plate, leaving you, your guests, and your feast alone."

Why go to this trouble? "Although these stinging insects are essential for pollination and pest control, their stings can cause skin irritation, swelling, and itching--even death in individuals allergic to their venom," Caron points out.

The experts at the Lanacane Itch Information Center offer these additional tips to keep outdoor entertaining bee free:

* Before entertaining outdoors, be sure to check the area for possible nests. To prevent yellowjacket and bee infestations near where you entertain, keep any holes and entry spaces in wood decks and siding caulked. Each nest can grow to more than 2,000 insects.

* Stinging insects are fond of the same foods you are. Be sure to keep any food containers outdoors tightly closed to avoid giving off an inviting scent. Use cups with lids when serving sugared drinks, such as soda, iced tea, or lemonade. You should never drink from an...