Get Rid of Christmas Tree Bugs So Your Holidays Stay Jolly and Bright

Christmas tree bugs can hitch rides from outdoor groves into your home this holiday season. They burrow in during cold snaps, waiting for your warm room to stir. They're mostly harmless holdovers from the field, but you still won't want them inside your living room.

Bugs coming inside is one of a few different Christmas tree problems you might encounter this winter. Figuring out how to get rid of Christmas tree bugs starts with a thorough check before you string your lights up.

These stray hitchhikers prove the tree grew wild, but you can take a few steps to stop them invading your home. That means no tiny intruders crashing the cocoa hour. Your evergreen keeps its charm, aroma drifting clear without the hassle.

Do Christmas Trees Have Bugs?

Yes! You can often find a few bugs in your fresh cut live Christmas tree. No one wants to find spiders in a Christmas tree, but sometimes our 8-legged friends and other insects might find their way indoors.

Bugs emerge and the cheer dims. Clearing them out will help keep your home pest free. It also saves wiping droppings from sills too—less fuss during the holiday bustle. The area feels inviting, decorations sparkling pure instead of spotted.

Most Christmas tree bugs pose little risk, but odd ones nip like a thorn's prick. It's important to keep the holiday focused on joy, not pest patrol. And knowing how to get rid of insects in houseplants or evergreens alike gives confidence all season long. Let's explore how to find and get rid of bugs that might be on your Christmas tree.

Check Your Tree for Bugs

Fields buzz with life before being cut. Trees harbor holdouts as frost sets in, bugs seeking cozy spots in bark cracks. A quick prep blocks their entry, like barring a door against wind.

Inspect your tree at the lot or tree farm. Feel for webs or eggs—foam sacs that cling to needles and boughs. Shake vigorously outside, so bugs tumble out. Hose down your tree if there is a massive infestation that shaking the tree can't knock loose. But be sure to let it dry completely before bringing inside. A moldy tree might be worse than bugs!

Common Christmas Tree Bugs

In addition to spiders, stink bugs, ladybugs and boxelder bugs you may find some of these other pests lurking in your Christmas tree.

• Aphids gather on tender tips, soft green or brown bodies sipping sap and leaving honeydew that turns floors or gifts sticky. They don’t last long in warm rooms but can make a mess if ignored. A good outdoor shake before decorating usually ends their holiday stay.
• Adelgids look like tiny snowflakes—white fuzz spotting needles. Harmless indoors, but the fluff can dust ornaments if shaken loose. A hose rinse outside clears most, keeping the only “snow” in your home the decorative kind.
• A praying mantis egg sack will look like a tan foam lump on a branch. Warm rooms can hatch dozens of tiny mantids—great hunters outdoors, not so festive inside. Simply clip the branch and set it outside to finish its natural cycle.
• Tiny pinholes in the bark signal tree borers like bark beetles. They usually stay dormant once a tree is cut, but a few may wander out sluggishly. They can’t survive in your home’s dry wood, so a quick cleanup ends the encounter.
• Scale insects look like unmoving brown bumps stuck to stems. Indoors they go dormant and cause little trouble, but scraping them off keeps branches clean and ornaments from brushing sticky residue.
• Spider mites appear as tiny reddish dots speckling needles. They spin faint silk, like dust glinting under lights. Indoors they slow down faster, losing moisture. A firm shake and spraying outside before the tree comes in keeps those threads from catching the sparkle of your ornaments.
• Psocids, also called bark lice, hide in bark grooves nibbling on mildew. Barely visible, they scatter when branches warm. They don’t bite or infest homes, and a quick brush or hose rinse sends them packing, leaving only the pine scent behind.

What to Do About Christmas Tree Bugs

Critters get spotted and panic hits. Stay calm. They can be treated simply.

Don't use any chemicals. They soak into needles, smelling sharp long after. Fire risk jumps way up, too. A dry tree turns into tinder and becomes a major fire hazard. Kids can breathe in the chemicals and also develop eye irritation. Natural control works better, no residue left on gifts below.

Gently vacuum up Christmas tree bugs as you find them. A hose attachment grabs without crushing them, and the bag sealed tightly after. Repeat as needed, like dusting shelves weekly. Diatomaceous earth, like this option from Amazon, dusted carefully in the tree will cause any bugs to dehydrate and die. (It comes with a convenient duster for easy application.) Sticky traps, also from Amazon, catch wanderers and make for easy cleanup come January.