The smell of a freshly cut Christmas tree has a special way of getting us in the holiday mood. A fresh Christmas tree makes our home smell sweet, clean, and woodsy. But it can also bring insects and other pests. Most insects that live in Christmas trees aren’t dangerous to people, but they can be annoying.
HERE IS A LIST OF COMMONLY FOUND INSECTS:
- Spiders and mites: Look for black and red specks. They are often found on trees like Douglas fir, white pine, Fraser fir, and spruce.
- Aphids: Look for tiny white spots (adults are less than 1/4 inch long), black, brown, gray, yellow, light green, and sometimes even pink ones. Most often found on evergreen, balsam fir, and white fir trees.
- Adelgids: Look for white spots that look like they are made of wool. It is common on Douglas fir, pine, and spruce trees.
- Sawfly: Look on the needle pines for brown cocoons. Most often seen on pine trees
- Pine Needle Scale: Look for tiny white dots on the needles and branches of pine trees. It lives on pines, spruces, white fir, Douglas fir, and cedars.
- Bark beetles: Look for small dark brown spots that are dug into the tree trunk.
- Praying Mantises: Look for a cocoon that is light brown and pretty big, since an egg sac can hold up to 400 tiny mantids.
HOW TO KEEP INSECTS OFF THE CHRISTMAS TREE
- Shake. Most stores have a machine that is used to shake the tree after it is bought. If your store doesn’t have a tree shaker, you should shake your tree well before putting it in your car and again before bringing it into your home.
- Use a flashlight to look for bugs or eggs on the undersides of the tree’s branches and the trunk. If you find something that worries you, vacuum it up and empty the vacuum outside.
- Leave the tree in the garage for a few days before bringing it inside.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU FIND INSECTS ON THE TREE AFTER YOU BRING IT INSIDE?
Don’t worry, most insects that live in living trees only live in the trees and don’t eat them. Also, these insects are not invasive species, so they won’t hurt your home. If you’re having trouble getting rid of these bugs and need help, feel free to give us a call.