Christmas tree (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Warning: Bugs Hiding Inside Your Christmas Tree
It’s a tradition many of us look forward to every year. We round up the family and head to a Christmas tree lot or farm; or we head to the woods to chop down a beautiful Evergreen or Spruce. Great care is taken in selecting the perfect tree. It can’t be too tall, and its branches have to be sufficiently filled in. When selecting the perfect Christmas tree there is one thing on need to watch for; before bringing that wonderful smelling Christmas tree inside your home. It is Christmas tree bugs!
Christmas Tree Bugs
According to NBC, Christmas tree bugs may be an unforeseen present waiting for you underneath your tree this Holiday, and this present could potentially be a nightmare.
The usual tree bug culprits are aphids, bark beetles, gypsy moths, bagworms, weevils, and spider mites. If you bring them inside your home, they could hatch and multiply causing a full on pest infestation. They will get in your carpet, your bedding, and in your couch.
Many of these insects are considered harmless. Harmless or not, you probably don’t want to spend the holiday season with bugs crawling around among you and your presents.
Common Christmas Tree Bugs
Aphids– Are small sap sucking insects the flourish on plant hosts like Christmas trees. They may be green, black, brown, pink or almost colorless. They are very tiny, and have antennae, with long, thin legs. Approximately two-hundred and fifty species of aphids are known to create serious pest control problems.
Spider Mites– Can cause pest control concerns when their minute exoskeletons and feces become airborne and inhaled. This can trigger an allergic reaction in some people, and can cause several forms of allergic diseases; including hay fever, asthma and eczema.
Gypsy Moth—Range in color from white, gray, or tan. They eat the leaves of over 300 species of trees, and are one of the most destructive pests of hardwood trees in the Eastern United States.
Bark Beetles—If bark beetles have infested your Christmas tree, they will leave winding tracks that are visible throughout the trunk. Bark beetles are known to reproduce in the inner bark.
Tips On Selecting A Pest-Free Christmas Tree
- Get you’re trees from a reliable source, someone who has their gypsy moth permit.
- Look for trees that have a certificate.
- Ask if the tree has been sprayed for insects.
- Look for aphids, gypsy moths, spider mites, and their egg sacks near the top and trunk of the tree.
- Look for small holes with sawdust trails (pictured right), which are a sign of bark beetles.
- Shake your Christmas tree vigorously before bringing it inside your home. This can dislodge spiders and other unwanted hitchhikers.
Charlotte Pest Control
If you happened to bring any unwanted pest hitchhikers inside your home with your Christmas tree, seek the help of a licensed Charlotte exterminator. Whether you are dealing with Christmas tree bugs, unwanted roaches, or house spiders; a Charlotte pest control professional can help ensure you have a pest-free holiday.
Pest Control In Charlotte, NC
Bulwark Exterminating
1801 North Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28206
(704) 321-3716
bulwarkpestcontrol.com
A-1 Wildlife Control
Wilgrove-Minthill Road
Charlotte, NC 28227
(704) 334-1922
a1wildlifecontrol.net
A-A Wildlife Damage Control
301 Bradford Drive
Charlotte, NC 28208
(704) 608-6950
aawildlife.com
Orkin
5100 Reagan Drive
Charlotte, NC 28206
(704) 694-6655
orkin.com
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December 21st, 2012 at 2:02 pm
[...] Christmas tree bugs may be an unforeseen present waiting for you underneath your tree this Holiday, and this present could be a nightmare. More… [...]