The crazy number of
insects that could be hiding in your Christmas tree By Rebecca Straus Published
December 19, 2016. )
Last December, one of
my best friends sent out a desperate group text calling for moral support when
her freshly decorated Christmas tree suddenly exploded with tiny baby praying
mantises ( here's what you need to know about creepy praying mantises ). This
is a friend who, I must add, really, really hates bugs. Soon the baby mantises
were all over her apartment and her Christmas cheer had dissolved into anxiety
as she tried to vacuum them all up and dragged the tree to the curb. Not
exactly the jolliest way to kick off the holiday season. In the hopes
that no one else has to go through this type of Christmas horror, I got in
touch with Nancy Troyano, Ph.D., an entomologist for the family of pest control
brands Ehrlich, Western Exterminator, and Presto-X, to find out which insects
are the most likely to be hiding in Christmas trees and the safest ways to get
rid of them. There are a handful of insects that make their homes in pine
trees-the most common include aphids, adelgids, scales, bark beetles, psocids,
and mites (from abandoned bird nests)-and some, like praying mantises, lay
their eggs on tree branches. The reason you aren't likely to notice the little
buggers right away is that the insects go dormant for winter. "As soon as
you bring the tree indoors and warm them up, they spring right back to
life," Troyano explains. Or in the case of praying mantis eggs, they
hatch. The good news? None of these insects will cause an infestation in your
home, and they're completely harmless...though a major invasion might take a
toll on your sanity. Troy ano's best advice for keeping unwanted bugs out
of your house is to give your tree a good, old-fashioned shake before you bring
it inside to dislodge any unwanted visitors. Some Christmas tree lots have
mechanical shakers and do the job for you, but your muscle power will be
effective, too. Then check the tree over carefully using a flashlight and
remove any egg masses or bird nests that you find. Under no circumstances
should you spray your tree with an insecticide. Aside from being harmful to you
and your family (especially when applied inexpertly), an aerosol insecticide
will make your tree extremely flammable. Phase two of Operation Insect-Free
Tree is to keep the vacuum handy. If you suck up the dead needles under the
tree regularly, you should also catch any rogue insects. For larger issues that
slip past you, as in my friend's case, the vacuum is still your best line of
defense for getting rid of pests quickly. "Most stowaways die pretty
quickly as they are 'outdoor' pests, and the indoor environment combined with
lack of food will kill them," Troyano explains. That means you don't need
to worry about pests multiplying or causing a lasting infestation that would
require you to call an exterminator. Troyano adds that insects tend to
"jump ship" when their host plant dies, so a tree that's been sitting
on a lot for a week is less likely to be harboring pests than one you just cut
yourself at the local Christmas tree farm. Trees shipped from warmer climates
may have higher pest activity, as well. If you've never had a pest problem with
your tree in the past, these steps may seem unnecessary. But you never know
when the baby mantises will strike, so make Christmas tree shaking a part of
your annual holiday traditions.
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