Happy New Year! As we head into 2022, many of us are boxing up Christmas decorations, putting away new gifts, and settling back into a normal routine with school, work, laundry, and home organization. For those who had real Christmas trees though, you might realize you have a few more Christmas "surprises" that you didn't see until you took down the holiday decorations. Live trees, that were freshly cut, can bring a lot more than a cheery look and smell of the holidays into your home. Evergreen trees can hold a host of pests (and their eggs), and those can travel right into your home and set up shop without you having a clue as to what's going on. Aphids, mites, spiders and beetles can be hiding out in the branches of your beloved Christmas tree, and they can quickly find places to live throughout your home once they come out of hiding.
Here are some things to watch for if you're worried your tree might have brought more than holiday spirit to your home this year:
- Check around your tree for signs of insect activity. Your tree skirt, or the carpet/flooring immediately around your tree, is a good place to inspect for telltale signs that you might have had hitchhikers in your tree. Insect excrement (will look like small bits of dirt), dead insects, dried up egg cases, etc. are a pretty good indicator that you need to be on alert for unwelcome pests in your home.
- Do a thorough cleaning of the room where the tree was located. Most people place their tree in the living room, or in a front area of their home, but regardless of where it was located, it certainly had floor underneath, and walls on each side, and anything inside that area needs to be thoroughly cleaned ASAP if you're worried about insect activity. Vacuum carpets and drapes that were in the immediate area around the tree, wash blankets, pillows, linens, etc., wipe down hard surfaces with a trusted cleaner, and take down any cobwebs with a broom or extension duster.
- Call your local pest pros! No matter how much you try to get rid of the evidence, if insects did in fact come inside with your tree, your best defense against them turning into a BIG problem is by calling in reinforcements. Pest management professionals will know which pests are likely to cause problems for you, will know what signs to look for, and can set up a plan based on their findings to get rid of existing bugs (or rodents) and keep them from coming back.
Everyone knows they can trust Country Boy Pest Control to handle all of their pest management needs, from routine residential prevention, to commercial pest removal and control. We customize a pest control plan for you, and work closely with you to keep your environment pest free all year long. Our highly qualified team works with homeowners and businesses throughout Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties. Give us a call for your quote and to make your appointment.
