Bugs in Your Christmas Tree
Tiny bugs crawling out of your real Christmas tree? What they are, whether they're harmful, and how to keep them out of the house this year.
You bring home a real tree, set it up, and a few days later there are tiny bugs on the ceiling, the windows, or the presents. It happens more than people think. A tree that grew outside for eight or ten years comes with whatever was living on it.
The good news, according to Penn State Extension: none of the insects that come in on Christmas trees are dangerous to your home, your belongings or your family. They don't infest the house, and most die within days in dry indoor air.
What's crawling out of your tree
| What you see | What it probably is | Harmful? |
|---|---|---|
| White, cottony fluff on branches | Adelgids (tiny sap-feeders under a waxy coating) | No |
| Small dark bugs clustered on branches | Conifer aphids | No, they stay on the tree |
| Tiny beetles on windowsills | Bark beetles coming out of the trunk | No, they can't live in dry lumber |
| Small soft, pale bugs | Bark lice | No, they die quickly indoors |
| Hundreds of tiny insects hatching at once | Praying mantis egg case hatching | No |
| Small webs | Spiders | No |
| Gray, mud-like smears on the trunk | Possibly spotted lanternfly eggs | Not to you, but report them |
Spotted lanternfly eggs
Spotted lanternfly is the one to watch for in New Jersey. Penn State says egg masses on a cut tree are unlikely but possible. If they hatch indoors, the nymphs die without food. The real concern is moving eggs to a new area. If you find what looks like a lanternfly egg mass, scrape it off into a bag with rubbing alcohol before bringing the tree in.
Praying mantis egg cases
A mantis egg case is a tan, foam-like lump about the size of a walnut, stuck to a branch. Indoors, it can hatch within a few weeks and release a lot of tiny mantises. If you find one, cut off that twig and leave it outside in a shrub, where it'll hatch in spring as it should.
How to keep bugs out of the house with your tree
- Look the tree over before you buy it, especially the trunk and the inside of the branches.
- Shake it hard. Many tree lots have a mechanical shaker. If not, bounce the trunk on the ground a few times.
- Remove egg cases and bird nests. Bird nests can carry mites.
- Let it sit in the garage for a day or two if you have room. Some bugs will leave before it comes inside.
- Vacuum any bugs that show up on walls, ceilings or windows.
Don't spray the tree
Don't use bug spray on your Christmas tree. Penn State warns that aerosol sprays are often flammable and usually not labeled for indoor use. A dry tree, lights and a flammable spray are a bad combination. The bugs will die off on their own.
When it's not the tree
If the bugs keep showing up after the tree is gone, or you're seeing them in rooms far from where the tree was, something else is going on. Winter is when stink bugs, cluster flies and spiders tend to show up indoors. See our post on stink bugs in your NJ home, or call (732) 527-5770 and we'll help you figure out what you're dealing with. More at spider control.
Common questions
Do real Christmas trees have bugs? Some do. Most are harmless and die within days indoors.
Can Christmas tree bugs infest my house? No. They can't live and breed in a heated home.
Should I spray my Christmas tree for bugs? No. Shake it before it comes in and vacuum anything that shows up.
Request a Pest Control Quote
Tell us what you're seeing and our team will call you to go over it. Most routine services are quoted over the phone. Termite work requires a paid inspection, and bed bug and roach jobs get a price range that's confirmed once we see the problem. New customers get 10% off their first service.
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