Between 25 and 30 million real Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. every year, but pest control experts say you might want to rethink bringing a real Christmas tree into your home this holiday season.
One pest control company says there could be as many as 25,000 bugs in your tree.
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Among the most common unwelcome guests are aphids, spiders and mites, adelgids, pine needle scale, sawfly, praying mantises and bark beetles.
The pest company gave the following tips to those who purchase real trees:
1.) Vacuum any insects around the tree
2.) Leave the tree in your garage for a few days
3.) When choosing a tree, examine the undersides of the branches and the trunk. While inspecting, prune any branches with egg cases or bird nests
4.) Dust the tree with diatomaceous earth, or spray it with neem oil to kill bugs still on the tree.