Follow These 5 Steps to Make Sure Your Christmas Tree isn’t a Breeding Ground for Pests

Aah, the smell of fresh pine needles, cinnamon sticks, and warm chocolate. It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas! But if you aren’t careful, all those wonderful smells and your fresh-cut tree will attract a lot more than jolly old elves; you’ll get nasty pests that will make the holidays a lot less bright.

You may not think about your tree all year until it becomes your Christmas tree, but it actually spends its life growing in soil on the side of a mountain or in a field somewhere, and it provides a home for all kinds of creepy crawlies that you’d prefer not be in your home. Unfortunately, the creepy crawlies don’t care about your preferences, and they don’t know that the tree they are nesting in is propped up in your home and not in the ground.

If you want to make sure that the only things on your tree are ornaments and garland, follow these five steps for Glendale pest control:

Inspect the Tree for Nests

Where do birds make their nests and lay their eggs? In trees. Yes, even that beautiful fir tree that you have your eye on to become your Christmas tree. Don’t assume that just because the tree has been cut down and displayed in a lot that it has been vetted. Check it to ensure that there are no bird nests hiding out inside.

Chances are good that any birds would have vacated the nest once the tree was cut down. But if you do find a bird or eggs inside, remove them carefully. If you need assistance, call a professional wildlife rescue.

Shake the Tree Vigorously

Before you bring the tree inside your house, grab ahold of the trunk and shake the tree as hard as you can. Your goal is to dislodge and dispel any insects that might be hiding out inside, including spiders, scorpions, cockroaches, and more.

Bugs won’t want to stay put if the tree is being shaken every which way. She the tree up and down and side to side. Wear gloves to protect yourself against potential bites, stings, or pinches.

Investigate the Branches

Birds aren’t the only ones who lay eggs. Spiders, roaches, and lots of other insects and pests lay eggs, and they may have done so in your Christmas tree. Investigate the branches to look for eggs.

The eggs are small, and they can be white, brown, or tan. Basically, if you find anything that doesn’t look like a pine needle, it shouldn’t be on your tree. Remove the debris, or remove the branches.

Keep Food and Trash Away

Any bugs that might still be hiding out in your tree will quickly die if they do not have access to food. Cut off their supply by keeping any food in your home put away in tight containers and sealed packages. Sweep the floors regularly, and keep the table and countertops clean. Take the trash out each night, if you can.

If you do have any bugs hiding out in your Christmas tree, they will die and fall off. Just sweep or vacuum around the tree each day to get up any dead insects or wings.

Treat Your Home

You should never spray pest control aerosols on your tree as these are often flammable. You will turn your Christmas tree into a powder keg if you do that. Instead, you can treat for bugs by hiring a professional pest control company in Glendale to treat your whole home.

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A good exterminator will create a pest control plan for your home that will both eliminate any bugs that are present and will prevent any new infestations from occurring. With a solid pest control plan in place year round, you won’t have to worry about bugs in your tree. If any are present, they will quickly die.

Make sure your holidays are merry and bright this season. Call an Arizona pest control company that can get results. Call Varsity Termite and Pest Control to set up a home inspection and to discuss your pest control needs. Arizona is home to a number of nasty creepy crawlies, including scorpions, fire ants, roaches, roof rats, spiders, and more. An exterminator from our team will create a pest control plan for you that will eliminate any current infestations and will help to protect your home from future invaders. That should be enough to give you the sweetest of dreams – even if you don’t have sugar plums dancing in your head!

Published By:

Varsity Termite and Pest Control – Tony Kaufman

West Valley Location:

Office: 602-560-6021

East Valley Location:

Office: 602-757-8252