Decking the halls this holiday season? Many Florida residents enjoy the look, feel, and smell of a live Christmas tree, but they often come with an unwanted surprise—creepy-crawly bugs! Here’s an introduction to the types of pests Christmas trees can attract, as well as effective ways to prevent them.
Insects That Are Attracted to Christmas Trees
There’s a certain set of pests that are drawn to Christmas trees. Unfortunately, many of these pests are common throughout Florida, since they thrive in warm climates. Some of the most common pests you’ll find in or around your Christmas tree include:
- Aphids: Be on the lookout for aphids—not only do they like Christmas trees, but they love to feast on other houseplants and destroy them. Aphids often make themselves at home in the lower branches of Christmas trees, especially the balsam fir, evergreen, Fraser fir, pine, and white fir trees. These bugs can quickly multiply and become a nuisance, affecting all the plants in your home. The most effective way to rid your Christmas tree of these pesky bugs is by relying on the pest control experts at Evergreen to provide eco-friendly treatments that tackle the problem quickly and effectively.
- Mites: Mites are either brown or red, and they’re drawn to tree sap. If you choose a Douglas fir, Fraser fir, spruce, or white pine, be on the lookout for mites. Spruce spider mites are one of the most common mites you’ll find in Christmas trees, but they can’t stand up to the eco-friendly treatments provided by your professional Evergreen pest control technician.
- Scale insects: These reddish-orange insects have a hard exoskeleton. Like mites, they feed on tree sap. Scale insects are particularly drawn to Douglas fir, Norway spruce, and Scotch pine trees. Again, you can rely on your Evergreen pest control experts to provide safe, eco-friendly treatments to rid your tree—and your home—of these nuisance pests during the holiday season and beyond.
How to Prep Your Christmas Tree
The best way to keep pests from ruining your Christmas tree—and your holidays—is by preventing them from setting up shop in your home in the first place. If you spend a little time prepping your Christmas tree before bringing it in and decorating it, you increase your chances of having a pest-free holiday season. Here’s how to prep your tree to keep it bug-free:
- Inspect before buying. It’s always wise to check trees for insects before you buy. Perform a close inspection, looking for any insects or spider webs. It doesn’t hurt to bring a flashlight with you as you make your choice.
- Give the tree a shake. Before you bring your Christmas tree inside, give it a good shake. Some lots even have a mechanical shaker that removes loose needles, bugs, and eggs. You can simply shake the tree on your own by lifting it off the ground a few inches and letting it thump down. It shakes off any loose critters, and it also opens up the branches again if the tree was wrapped.
- Clean up. After you’ve brought your tree in and decorated it, make sure to keep the area around it clean. Vacuum anything that falls from the tree. It’s best to stick to a daily schedule for vacuuming, so you can prevent an unwanted buggy surprise on Christmas morning.
- Prep your home with proper pest control. The best way to ensure a bug-free Christmas—and peace of mind in the new year—is to prep your home for the holidays with professional pest control solutions from Evergreen. Using an Integrated Pest Management approach, we’ll tackle even the toughest pest problems with fast-acting, proven-effective, eco-friendly treatments.
Get Your Home Pest Free This Holiday Season—and beyond!
Are pests keeping you and your family from having the absolute best holiday season? No matter what type of pest you’re dealing with—from insects to rodents—the pest control experts at Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control – Orlando are standing by to help! Using safe, efficient, and family-friendly pest control methods, we’ll get your home pest-free this holiday season and beyond. Give us a call today at (407) 880-6655 to schedule your free consultation!
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