The quintessential scent of the holiday season is definitely the fresh pine aroma. So, the next move is to purchase a live Christmas tree from your local tree farm or garden center and bring it home to decorate it. But, as a quick reminder, before rushing to wrap it up in Christmas decorations and lights, you have to make sure there are no living guests in your Christmas tree, such as bugs and crawling insects.
This tip was given by our local tree farm seller when I purchased my evergreen Christmas tree last year. So, you should consider in de-bugging yours this year!
It seems that tree bugs go dormant during the cold season and often you won’t notice them. However, once the tree is inside your home, the warm temperature will wake them up, casing movement in and around your Christmas tree.
What kind of bugs are in Christmas trees?
- Spiders and Mites
- Aphids
- Adelgids
- Scale Insects
- Bark Beetles
- Praying Mantises
- Sawfly
Step To Follow For Christmas Tree Bug Removal:
Shake Your Christmas Tree
The good news is most Christmas tree farms have mechanical tree shakers to do the work for you. But if you cut the Christmas tree from your backyard, shake it a bit before bringing it indoors.
Let The Tree Rest For 24 Hours
For a more thorough inspection, use a flashlight to look for bug signs in your Christmas tree: bird nest, egg masses, and of course, bugs themselves. Then you can sprinkle some Diatomaceous Earth and let it act for 24 hours before installing the Christmas lights and decorations.
Keep The Vacuum Near
Not only will you need your vacuum for cleaning up fallen pine needs, but it’s also great to prevent bugs from roaming around your house. If you do see a spider or aphids near the base of your tree, suck them up with the vacuum.
Keep The Christmas Tree Away From Your Houseplants
Well, prevention is best! In order to have healthy houseplants, keep them away from the Christmas tree. Since the insects living in the Christmas tree need the plant to survive, when the evergreen will wilt and die, the insects will die also. But if they find another healthy host, such as your houseplants, they won’t be ashamed to feed on their sap.
