Bugs Can Hide in Real Christmas Trees — but Experts Say They're Harmless Indoors
Imagine having a bug infestation in the middle of a Christmas celebration. It's a nightmare no one would want to experience. Apparently, this bizarre scenario may occur due to the creepy crawlies hidden inside your Christmas tree. If you are someone who prefers natural trees with the scent of pine over the lifeless and fake ones, the chances of insects crawling out of them are highly likely. Real Christmas trees are grown outdoors, and like any other tree it could host insects or other arthropods during winter. The problem arises when these trees are brought indoors to be decorated with tinsel and twinkly lights.
According to PennState Extention, some of these arthropods may go unnoticed and become active later due to the warm indoor temperatures. While some species might continue to cling to the trees, others could be attracted to the warmth of nearby light sources and approach the closest window to the outside during the day. At nighttime, some of these creatures could leave the tree and head to the nearby lit lamp or other artificial light source. Although a bug crawling out of a Christmas tree is scary, it can't do a lot of damage. The pests emerging from those living coniferous trees will not damage the tree, house, furniture, or the people of the house. Laura Jesse, an entomologist at Iowa State University Extension, explained why these bugs are harmless.
"They cannot bite or sting, and they will not live long enough to grow or multiply," she revealed. Aphids and spiders are the most common pests to emerge from the trees, but they could most likely perish before the panic sets in among the occupants of your house. "Low levels of sap in the tree mean an inadequate food supply for aphids and other sap-sucking insects. They will quickly die of starvation or desiccation, whichever comes first," Jesse said. "Similarly, spiders will not find adequate food for growth and development, so sadly, they too will wander about for a brief period before they expire," she added. Watching spiders or aphids crawl out of Christmas trees might be annoying, but the expert suggests against the use of insecticides.
Jesse urged that the best way to handle the situation would be to either pick up or vacuum the inject and leave it outdoors, wherever you find it suitable. Aerosol insect sprays are flammable and not ideal for indoor usage, especially on a Christmas tree. "Do not spray insecticides on fresh-cut Christmas trees. There is almost no benefit," the expert added. The popular belief that dusting a tree with flea and tick powder prevents tick infestation is actually a hoax. The expert believes that the idea plays on people's fears of the ticks and the infamous Lyme disease it causes. "The widespread misconception that ticks live in trees appears to be deeply ingrained in the common folklore. There are no ticks in Christmas trees, nor in any other kind of tree," Jesse wrote.
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