Rocking around a stunning real Christmas tree with your family and friends is fantastic fun.
Doing it with rats, mice and insect pests? Less fun.
The winter is one of our busiest times here at Pest Solutions as we help our customers battle the rodents seeking food and shelter from plummeting temperatures.
Christmas itself brings its own unique challenges including insect pests brought into homes via real Christmas trees and an increase in the amount of excess food and food waste left uncovered in kitchens and bins across the nation.
Christmas is a time for celebration but any sense of festive goodwill will soon vanish if you are the victim of a pest infestation.
At Pest Solutions, our customers are our number one priority all year round, but after a year that has been so tough for many of us we believe that you deserve a happy and pest free Christmas to remember. If you are having any issues with Christmas tree bugs, rodents, or any other form of pest species, the team at Pest Solutions is only a phone call away.
Our team have a fantastic track record of eliminating winter pest infestations after just a single visit in many cases and if you call us now, there is a good chance your pest problems will be a thing of the Christmas past before the big day finally arrives.
In this article, we have compiled a list of our top tips for keeping pests at bay this Christmas, giving you all the information you need to protect your home and loved ones this festive season.
Already dealing with a pest problem? Don’t panic, call Pest Solutions today on 0800 027 2555
Rodent Christmas Pests
Christmas is a time for giving, but not to pests!
Fail to take the right precautions and your family won’t be the only ones popping round for a visit this festive season.
Your Christmas tree is one potential cause of pest issues, but take the steps mentioned above and you should be able to keep them at bay with relative ease.
Other pest problems? A bit more serious.
No room at the Inn
With temperatures falling and shelter, warmth, and food hard to come by, warm-blooded pests such as rats, mice, and squirrels are much more likely to target your home during the winter months.
Combine protection from the elements and a safe nesting place with all the leftovers from your Christmas dinner, and your property suddenly becomes very attractive indeed.
Make sure that any open food or leftovers are stored away in sealed containers before slumping down in front of the telly with a glass of red this Christmas and ensure that waste is stored in in bins with a closed lid, well away from the property.
Keep it Clean
Rubbish collections can be few and far between at this time of year and leaving bags of food waste lying around near your home is asking for trouble.
As much as these precautions can help, with pests desperate for somewhere to camp out the winter months, pest infestations do happen, and when they do Pest Solutions are here to help.
Our expert team are highly trained in dealing with all forms of winter pest problems from a squirrel in the attic to beetles on your tree bark and are only a phone call away this festive season.
Don’t let pests take away your festive spirit this Christmas, call Pest Solutions now on 0800 027 2555.
Christmas Tree Bugs
Every single year, thousands of real Christmas trees are sold to homeowners across the nation, continuing a tradition that dates all the way back to the 16th Century.
Unfortunately, these trees often come with their very own built-in surprises and not the good kind that Santa Claus will be bringing down the chimney in a few weeks’ time.
Common Christmas tree species are the home of a huge number of different insects.
Out in the forest or on a Christmas tree farm, this is fine, it is their natural habitat after all, but once the trees are cut down and delivered into the homes of customers, problems start to arise.
There is nothing quite like a pest infestation to ruin your Christmas spirit, and whilst the majority of pine tree insects are not dangerous to humans, there are some who will spread far and wide once inside your property.
Common bugs in Christmas Tree
Common Christmas Tree Bugs include:
Aphids
Aphids are not one of the insects that will spread their wings and infest other plants inside your home.
Most are tiny and live on the lower branches of Christmas trees, although some can grow big enough to see with the naked eye.
There are a number of different aphid species including the white pine aphid and the spotted pine aphid.
Pine Needle Scale Insects
Scale insect eggs are white, and will appear like tiny specks on paint splattered across the green of your tree.
If allowed to hatch their emerging bugs are red in colour and may venture away from the tree onto your floor or walls.
Praying Mantises
Praying mantis egg masses can grow up to around 1 inch in size and is a pale tan in colour.
These egg sacs can contain as many as 400 eggs so if you do spot one on your tree cut off the branch and take it outside.
Bark Beetles
Around the size of a grain of rice these beetles will bore into the trunk of the tree, making sawdust and small holes.
Despite similar habits, these insects are not as much of a concern as woodworm as the lack of humidity in the dry wood of furniture is not suitable for them.
What to do if you spot these types of bugs
The good news is that the vast majority of Christmas tree bugs are not considered harmful to humans, or a serious health risk and will not require a professional pest control company to deal with them.
Many cannot survive the warmer temperatures of your home and will die before they are able to lay eggs on tree limbs or bark.
However, they can appear similar to other more dangerous small insects that could put a pretty severe dampener on your holiday season.
If you see signs of Christmas tree bugs, fast action can avoid any negative effects.
How to avoid Christmas Tree Bugs
The best way to stop insects from coming into your home on parts of the tree is to give the tree a good shake before bringing it inside.
Some Christmas tree farms will even have their own mechanical tree shakers that do this for you.
There are also a number of harmless, for humans, insect repellents such as neem oil, diatomaceous earth, and a variety of bug sprays that you can also use to avoid little bugs invading your home in general.
Get in Touch
Most companies will wish you a Merry Christmas, but at Pest Solutions we can make sure you have one, keeping properties and people safe from the threat of pest activity at Christmas and into the new year.
For more information on Christmas Tree bugs, winter pests, or any of the services our highly trained team of BPCA professionals offer, call us now on 0800 027 2555 or fill out our contact form.
