Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree, how I love thy…pest in branches? No way! The most wonderful time of the year can also bring unwelcome guests, and no, we’re not talking about Aunt Sally, who never stops talking! Numerous pests find the Christmas tree home-like and come inside your place on its branches. Your home’s added warmth and comfort welcome the pest that will never want to leave! Rather than face a potential pest problem in the months ahead, take action now to prevent those problems!
Reports from Safer Brands indicate a single real Christmas tree can harbor as many as 25,000 bugs -and they may not be noticed at first glance since tree bugs lay dormant during colder months. That’s a lot of bugs and a whole lot of treatment going on! Once inside the comfortable warmth of your home, they come alive, and soon, a major problem is on your hands.
Common Tree Bugs
What type of bugs should you look out for once the tree is safely inside the home? A few of the most common pests that love to hide inside of trees/Christmas trees include:
- Aphids: One of the most common Christmas tree pests, the Aphid resembles a tick, except it only has six legs instead of eight. The bug comes in assorted colors of black, brown, green, and red, so they certainly have the ability to blend well with the festive season. They are often taken home in lower branches of the tree.
- Balsam Woolly Adelgids: This tiny insect chews the sap of pine and fir trees. If you notice your Christmas tree suddenly has angelic snowflakes on its branches, it’s likely Adelgids instead.
- Bark Beetles: Red, brown, or black beetles about the size of a grain of rice; Bark Bettles cause big destruction to any tree. They gnaw away at the trunk and branches, leaving behind debris and sawdust of what once was an amazing tree.
- Spiders: Spiders enjoy Christmas trees, particularly since they lie in wait for other insects and abruptly -and easily -trap them. If one spider lays eggs on the branches, your tree can quickly become a target zone for spider infestations.
- Mites: Mites eat other insects’ eggs if they’ve laid any, but unfortunately, they also cling onto and destroy tree branches and ornaments, causing little red stains to appear. They also cause a lot of extra cleaning duties.
How to Keep Pests Out of Your Christmas Tree
The following tips ease the worry you feel over pests inside the home and help keep them far away from the Christmas tree.
- Shake the tree out before bringing it inside the home. This helps loosen bugs hiding in the tree so they never make it inside your home.
- Use a flashlight or other bright light source to inspect the tree for any signs of pests or infestations. Keep your eyes open for spider webs and bird nests as well.
- Dust off the tree before adding decorations.
- Though certainly an appealing option to the outsider, using pesticide sprays on the Christmas tree is bad. Tree lights and bug spray are flammable so avoid fires by keeping them off the tree.
- Use a vacuum to quickly rid any spiders or aphids from the tree.
Your Holiday Pest Headquarters
Enjoy the holiday season a bit more with the assurance of a pest-free Christmas tree using the tips above. You can also give SPPC a call for more advice or to enact a winterization plan at your home. Contact us today!
Southern Pride Pest Control is a full-service pest control company headquartered in Muscle Shoals, AL. SPPC specializes in pest control and prevention services, including termite control, rodent control, bed bug control, ant control, and mosquito control, and can even help with moisture control around your residence or commercial property. Established in 2010, Southern Pride Pest Control is a reliable source of quality pest-management solutions delivered by a team you can trust.
Call us today for any of your pest control needs.
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