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Christmas Tree Bugs
Almost every home is “dressed” up for Christmas and ready for the upcoming event, but you may not be aware that when bringing evergreens in your home, you also bring some unwanted guests – Christmas tree bugs.
This may sound shocking to you,but yes, Christmas trees DO get infected with bugs that you need to get rid of as soon as possible.
These insects (living on pine trees) tend to go dormant during cold months, but as soon as you bring them indoors and warm them up, you bring them right back to life.
Luckily, most Christmas tree lots have mechanical tree shakers for this exact reason, so don’t worry.
How To Get Rid Of Christmas Tree Bugs
It’s important to note that if you cut down your own Christmas tree (if you live near mountains), you are much more susceptible to bringing home unwanted bugs.
This is the main reason why you need to shake the trees thoroughly before bringing them in.
If you are using a mechanical shaker, it produces vibrations that are shaking the tree, and many insects are expelled regardless their whereabouts.
After you have done this, it’s important to still check the branches and pine needles for any lingering bugs.
Once you bring the tree home, make sure you regularly vacuum around the bottom of the tree to ensure that there aren’t any bugs left.
Tip
Let the tree sit in your garage for at least 24 hours before decorating. This will allow you to see if there are any other bugs venturing out from the tree.
Don’t use chemical sprays!!!
Using a chemical spray to get rid of any bugs can pose a serious fire hazard, and this is something you need to avoid at any cost.
They are very flammable!
If you want to spray your tree and get rid of bugs, use a special spray made from neem oil for the occasion.
Tree Bugs You Are Dealing With
Don’t get easily scared of Christmas tree bugs as none of them you are going to find are particularly worrisome. They appear to be more of an inconvenience than an actual health issue.
Some of the bugs that you may find inside Christmas pines are:
- Aphids, found on the lower boughs off evergreens, pines, spruces and firs
- Spiders and mites, found on Douglas firs, white pines, and spruce trees
- Adelgids, which look like a dusting of snow
- Pine needle scales, whose eggs are tiny white specs found on needles. They’re red when they hatch.
- Sawflies, which look like brown cocoons that hatch yellow and black flies
- Praying mantises, which are usually light tan, walnut-sized egg masses. They can hatch after several weeks indoors.
- Bark beetles, which are red, brown or black bugs the size of a grain of rice. Look for holes and sawdust trails on the tree trunk.
If this long bug list is giving a headache to you, don’t worry, there are pest control sprays for your pines, and you can still have a glorious Christmas without worrying about this bug issue.
Just make sure you do all preventative steps and keep your home bug free.
Merry Christmas!
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