How to Keep Your Christmas Tree Pest Free

Many homeowners don’t realize that they unwittingly carry pests into the home when they bring an actual Christmas tree in or set up an artificial tree during the holidays. Here are some tips to keep your Christmas tree pest free this season.

How to Keep Your Natural Christmas Tree Pest Free

Any plant, including a Christmas tree, has the potential to harbor a wide variety of pests, such as spiders, mites and a variety of insects. You can take several measures to prevent any pests on the real Christmas tree from getting into your home as you carry the tree in.

First, shake the tree vigorously so that any bird nests, insects and their eggs fall off before you move the tree indoors.

Secondly, move the Christmas tree away from where you shook it and examine its trunk carefully. Experts at AAI Pest Control recommend that you observe for aphids, roaches, and spiders during that visual inspection.

Once inside, check your Christmas tree periodically in order to ascertain that spiders haven’t spun their webs around or on top of the tree.

Furthermore, the bugs which may have hitched a ride on the tree are used to the low temperatures outside. Turning up the heat in your home may, therefore, be sufficient to kill them or force them outdoors.

You should never use a bug spray on your Christmas tree since this may start a fire in your home, especially if that spray is flammable. Ask a pest control company in Modesto for more advice on how to deal with the pests that you observe on the real Christmas tree in your home.

How to Keep Your Artificial Christmas Tree Pest Free

Artificial Christmas trees can be reused for several years, and they spend most of the year in storage either inside your basement, attic or crawlspace. How to keep your Christmas tree pest free differs when yours is an artificial tree. The measures below are adequate in keeping this tree bug-free, according to a pest control company in Modesto.

First, store your artificial Christmas tree inside a container which encloses the entire tree. For example, opt for a storage bag instead of a box since a box can easily be breached by pests while the bag will keep the pests out.

Secondly, take the precaution of unpacking your artificial Christmas tree outdoors when the time to set it up comes. Shake the tree vigorously so that any pests in there can be dislodged before you carry the tree back indoors.

It is also a good idea to vacuum all the branches of your artificial Christmas tree before setting it up. This will not only remove any dust which has accumulated on the tree but also removes any bugs present.

AAI Pest Control also recommends that you inspect the branches and trunk as you set up your artificial Christmas tree. Doing this will allow you to catch any pests or their eggs before they have a chance to multiply.

Don’t lose sleep over stressing about how to keep your Christmas tree pest free once pests have already taken up residence on that tree. AAI Pest Control will gladly stop unwanted pests from spoiling the holiday mood. Just get in touch with us, and we will address your pest problem promptly.