5 Tips For Keeping Pests Out Of Your Christmas Tree And Holiday Decorations

It just wouldn’t feel like the holiday season without a beautiful tree, lights, garlands, wreaths, and more! However, if you’re not careful, you may find some unwanted guests lurking amongst your decorations and the boughs of your Christmas tree.

Keep the following tips in mind to avoid pest issues under the tree and around the house this year!

1. Avoid Christmas decorations made of food.

Whether it’s candy, popcorn, or gingerbread, your home will smell like an all-you-can-eat buffet to rodents who may be sniffing around entry points into your home. Decorations with sugar can be especially enticing to bugs like roaches because of the fast nutrients sugar offers them.

2. Before bringing a Christmas tree home, inspect it for potential pest issues.

Even if you’re in love with the tree’s height and shape (and price tag), it’s worth looking the tree over for any potential problems. For instance, you want to avoid bringing a tree home with a lot of spider webs or spider egg sacs, as this could potentially introduce venomous spiders like the brown recluse or black widow to your home. You also want to avoid any trees with old birds nests, as these nests could contain parasites and bird mites that are harmful to humans.

3. Shake your Christmas tree before bringing it inside.

Giving your tree a good shake will help dislodge loose needles as well as unwanted bugs and debris. Any bugs that are left on your tree will typically be harmless scale insects, aphids, psocids, or adelgids, and the warm, dry air in your home will finish them off quickly.

4. If you do need to use a pesticide, opt for diatomaceous earth.

Never use an aerosol pesticide on your Christmas tree or live garlands. These substances can be highly flammable and increase the risk of a house fire. Instead, dust your tree with diatomaceous earth out in your yard or on your driveway, and shake off any extra before you bring the tree indoors.

5. Store decorations in lidded, plastic containers.

When it’s finally time to put your holiday decorations away, opt for hard containers with a lid. Cardboard boxes offer poor protection against pests for two reasons:

• Rodents can easily chew through them.
• Cardboard is just another food source for bugs that eat cellulose (like silverfish).

Don’t let a pest control problem dampen your holiday spirit! Call Spidexx Pest Control today at (855) 925-3550!

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