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There could be up to 25,000 bugs living in your Christmas tree. Thirty-Three million natural Christmas trees are sold in the United States every year. Insects brought into the warmth of a home behave as though spring has come and become active again.

Some common pests hiding in your Christmas tree:

  • Mites
  • Sawfly
  • Aphids
  • Spiders
  • Adelgids
  • Bark Beetles
  • Praying Mantises
  • Pine Needle Scale

Pest Prevention:

  • Vigorously shake the tree before bringing it into your home.
  • Look out for bird nests, since they may contain parasites such as mites and lice.
  • Beware Spruce Spider mites appear as tiny red and brown dots when shaken out of Christmas trees. Vaccuum all discarded fallen droppings.
  • Cinara Aphids and their eggs are often hidden down inside the lower branches of Christmas trees where they are hard to find.
  • The Praying Mantis and Gypsy Moth will lay eggs in Christmas trees. Look for the walnut-sized tan egg masses. If you find any, remove them.