Can insects hide in your Christmas tree?

With the holiday season just around the corner, are you about to put up a natural Christmas tree in your living room? Well, you should know that a natural fir tree can have some surprises in store for you! In addition to giving off a pleasant smell, they can also harbour certain insect pests.

In an effort to avoid ending up with new roommates as the holidays approach, here are some practical tips and information to help you detect the presence of insects in your tree.

Different types of insects can be found in a fir tree

When winter sets in, many insects go into hibernation mode. During colder periods, their metabolism is slowed down. Their heart rate decelerates and their limbs hardly move at all. Many settle on the trunk and between the branches of trees, especially conifers, to stay out of the weather until the heat returns.

It is no secret that firs grow outdoors, where a wide range of insect species live. The types of insects most likely to be found in your tree are mostly harmless, but their presence in a residence is undesirable. Among these, there are various varieties of aphids, spiders, mites, sawflies, and several others.

Once indoors and warm, they will naturally wake up, but most will eventually die from being removed from their natural habitat. However, it can be unpleasant to imagine the presence of these small bugs in your home. In addition, if you don’t adopt infestation prevention practices, pests such as mites could migrate to other areas of your home.

How to spot insects in your Christmas tree

Before you throw away your natural Christmas tree and replace it with an artificial one, however, there are a few things you can do to avoid these insects and pests in your home.

Firstly, when buying your tree, you can inspect the branches and trunk to see if there are spiders, moths or aphids. Then, you can put your tree inside, in a secluded area of your house, for a period of 24 hours. If you don’t have space to let your tree rest, you can shake it over a white sheet. This will help you notice if insects or eggs fall out. Finally, it is recommended to vacuum the base regularly to eliminate any parasites on or around the floor.

Prevent the arrival of insects with EExterminateur

As you can see, insects that may be present in your Christmas tree rarely cause infestations. However, when certain conditions are met, a natural tree can be the vehicle through which pests enter your home to settle and reproduce. This is why it is always better to inspect your natural tree before installing it in the living room of your home to avoid a lot of hassle.

For more prevention advice or to improve your home’s resistance to infestations, please contact the EExterminator team.