It’s a timeless—and admittedly strange—holiday tradition: bringing various elements of fresh greenery indoors to celebrate the season! Though beautiful, wreaths, garlands, firewood and trees can carry a plethora of pests into your home. And the holiday pests don’t stop there; many others are taking refuge in the boxes and bags of ornaments you store in your basement. We know you have enough on your plate with shopping, wrapping and baking this time of year, so in this blog, we’ll help you plan to keep uninvited holiday pests out this season.
Take Proper Precautions Before You Deck Your Halls
To ensure your holidays are filled with good cheer and not a pest invasion, take the following simple precautions for your greenery, decorations and firewood, as outlined by the National Pest Management Association:
- Shake out greenery to dislodge any hidden hitchhikers and ensure you’re not inadvertently inviting pests into your home. Spiders and other insects may have laid eggs inside, which could cause an unexpected surprise if brought indoors. Most Christmas tree farms have a mechanical shaker for you to use, which can help remove loose egg sacs and dormant insects.
- Before unpacking boxes of decorations, bring them outside and inspect them for signs of a pest infestation such as gnaw marks or droppings. When the holidays are over, be sure to store décor in sturdy, plastic containers with sealable lids to prevent pests from gaining access. Be especially wary of decorations that are actually food (such as dried ears of corn) since they can be a major target for pantry pests and mice.
- Inspect firewood for signs of spiders, termites or ants before bringing it indoors. You should only bring in as much firewood as you’re planning on burning at the time. Otherwise, insects that live under the surface, such as woodboring beetles, can pupate inside the wood and bore their way out into your home.
Braman Makes For Stress-Free Holiday Planning
The holidays are a busy time of year and it’s easy to overlook signs of pests in the rush to check items off the “to-do” list. But proper planning can prevent potential pest problems.
Adding pest detection and eradication to your wish list can help eliminate stress and save money. So, when the family gathers around the tree, you can be sure that uninvited holiday pests haven’t decided to join in the fun. If you’ve already seen signs of pests in your home—don’t hesitate to reach out to us.