Several tips to get rid of insects in your Christmas tree
Christmas trees and insects
When you are at your local Christmas tree shop, you probably don't ask yourself where the tree came from. However, it was cut down in a forest or a farm in the days preceding its arrival, where you are making your choice.
You may not have thought about it either, but insects live in trees and make their nests there. What insects? Spiders, aphids, mites, mantises, bark beetles... this list is not even exhaustive.
Wreaths or garlands made from living tree stems come from a place thousands of miles away. In this case, non-native insects may enter our environment.
The following are some simple steps to reduce the risk of bringing home insects along with your Christmas tree.
When to buy your Christmas tree
Shopping in the daylight is preferable to shopping in the evening, simply because insects and eggs are more easily seen.
Check the underside of the branches
The sections to inspect on the conifer you are about to buy are the following: The trunk. The back of the branches. Especially the lower ones. Your objective: To detect a series of signs that indicate the presence of insects. Namely, egg clusters, red or brown or white spots on the needles, apparent white flakes or insects.
How to remove insects from a Christmas tree
Aphids are most likely to be found on this needle-like specimen. To remove them, a homemade insecticidal soap or non-toxic neem oil is the best solution.
It is not advisable to use commercial sprays to destroy eggs and insects, as these products are chemical and therefore harmful to health. But they are also often flammable. You certainly wouldn't appreciate a tree lit by fire instead of string lights!
Also be careful not to step on bugs on your floor or flatten those that have ventured onto your furniture. You could cause a mess.
The best way to do this is with a vacuum cleaner. However, you'll need to treat the bag with your same insecticidal soap or neem oil before you get rid of it.
How to dispose of your Christmas tree
Christmas is over. The time has come to dispose of the festive conifer. Although it would be so easy, resist the temptation to toss it in your compost or on a bush. Insects could then spread to the neighbourhood. Like many others, your municipality may have a Christmas tree collection program. Often, you simply leave it at the curb and it is picked up. This is an appropriate way to dispose of this holiday plant companion.
But if not, you should take it to a landfill, dump or solid waste facility yourself. Another way would be to use a tree service company that has a chipper. This chipping is also a way to prevent the spread of insects.
A bug-free Christmas tree for the holidays
An insect infestation after Christmas? Bet that wasn't on your wish list! But it can happen. So you'll need to treat your home properly to eliminate invasive bugs.
Our article has opened you up to a forgotten reality: bugs on Christmas trees. We have told you how to examine the tree, destroy the bugs and eggs and dispose of the tree when the time comes.
All these precautions serve to protect our native ecosystems from possible foreign invaders, which represent a real danger to our woods and forests. By taking these precautions, you can avoid being part of what could become a disaster.
When you are at your local Christmas tree shop, you probably don't ask yourself where the tree came from. However, it was cut down in a forest or a farm in the days preceding its arrival, where you are making your choice.
You may not have thought about it either, but insects live in trees and make their nests there. What insects? Spiders, aphids, mites, mantises, bark beetles... this list is not even exhaustive.
Wreaths or garlands made from living tree stems come from a place thousands of miles away. In this case, non-native insects may enter our environment.
The following are some simple steps to reduce the risk of bringing home insects along with your Christmas tree.
When to buy your Christmas tree
Shopping in the daylight is preferable to shopping in the evening, simply because insects and eggs are more easily seen.
Check the underside of the branches
The sections to inspect on the conifer you are about to buy are the following: The trunk. The back of the branches. Especially the lower ones. Your objective: To detect a series of signs that indicate the presence of insects. Namely, egg clusters, red or brown or white spots on the needles, apparent white flakes or insects.
How to remove insects from a Christmas tree
Aphids are most likely to be found on this needle-like specimen. To remove them, a homemade insecticidal soap or non-toxic neem oil is the best solution.
It is not advisable to use commercial sprays to destroy eggs and insects, as these products are chemical and therefore harmful to health. But they are also often flammable. You certainly wouldn't appreciate a tree lit by fire instead of string lights!
Also be careful not to step on bugs on your floor or flatten those that have ventured onto your furniture. You could cause a mess.
The best way to do this is with a vacuum cleaner. However, you'll need to treat the bag with your same insecticidal soap or neem oil before you get rid of it.
How to dispose of your Christmas tree
Christmas is over. The time has come to dispose of the festive conifer. Although it would be so easy, resist the temptation to toss it in your compost or on a bush. Insects could then spread to the neighbourhood. Like many others, your municipality may have a Christmas tree collection program. Often, you simply leave it at the curb and it is picked up. This is an appropriate way to dispose of this holiday plant companion.
But if not, you should take it to a landfill, dump or solid waste facility yourself. Another way would be to use a tree service company that has a chipper. This chipping is also a way to prevent the spread of insects.
A bug-free Christmas tree for the holidays
An insect infestation after Christmas? Bet that wasn't on your wish list! But it can happen. So you'll need to treat your home properly to eliminate invasive bugs.
Our article has opened you up to a forgotten reality: bugs on Christmas trees. We have told you how to examine the tree, destroy the bugs and eggs and dispose of the tree when the time comes.
All these precautions serve to protect our native ecosystems from possible foreign invaders, which represent a real danger to our woods and forests. By taking these precautions, you can avoid being part of what could become a disaster.