Pests Commonly Found In Christmas Décor

Christmas Tree and Food | Newport, MN | Paffy’s Pest Control

Christmas decorating is supposed to be a happy and joyful occasion, so one of the last things you want is to find bugs and pests trying to take over the holiday fun. As you prepare decorations for both the inside and outside of your home, be aware of possible pests you may come across and the treatment options available to reduce the presence of insects around the holidays.

Check out four pests you may come across and some of the more common reasons they appear around your holiday décor.

1. Spiders

Spiders are common around the holiday season, especially as the insects seek warm locations inside the home. The Christmas tree is one of the main pieces of Christmas décor where you can find spiders.

When you cut down a real Christmas tree, you may bring spiders home with you. Spiders could already have built webs or laid eggs deep within the branches of the tree. Ideally, you want to vacuum out the tree before you bring it into your home. A vacuum hose will help suck up any webs, spiders, or eggs in the tree. As a bonus, the vacuum will also suck up any excess needles and prevent a mess in your home.

Spiders that are already in your home may seek out the tree as well. A full pest treatment in your home is the best way to prevent spiders in your tree.

Pest control workers will treat both the interior and exterior, including baseboards around your main living area. The treatment will last throughout the holiday season, so you do not need to see spiders crawling among your favorite Christmas ornaments.

2. Flying Insects

Moth, gnats, and other flying insects could make extra visits to your home around the holiday season. The main reason? An increase in hot lights. If you add exterior Christmas lights to your home, the lights could draw insects closer to your home much like how they would appear around a porch light.

One of the simpler ways to reduce the bugs near your home is to upgrade your lights. Older lights get very warm and the resulting heat can attract the bugs. Newer LED lights emit far less heat and you will notice less of a bug presence on your property.

Some studies have shown that bugs are not as attracted to warm light colors in the yellow range. Keep warm colors in mind when you shop for exterior lights. You may also want to skip doorway areas for lights, so bugs do not get into the house every time you open the door. A pest control company can offer treatments higher up on the house to prevent flying bug annoyances.

3. House Centipedes

The Christmas décor that you keep packed away year after year could become a permanent home to several bugs. One of the bugs that may draw the most attention is a house centipede. This bug is relatively harmless to humans, but not something you want to see crawling around your home.

House centipedes seek out dark places and could easily tuck away inside stockings, tree skirts, and other items you have packed away. Boxes typically have too many openings and easy access points for bugs. When you store your holiday items, you want to rely on plastic totes or storage items with secure closures.

The basement is a common area where house centipedes like to live and explore. You may not notice them all year until some of the bugs come up along with your other Christmas décor. A pest control inspection can not only spot the bugs, but also find any nests the bugs may have made in the past.

4. Larder Beetles

Some of the smaller pests you may come across in your holiday décor are larder beetles. The tiny bugs appear half-black and half-brown. The bugs are typically known for their presence in the kitchen, but you could easily find them in other rooms. For the kitchen, the bugs could be near any of your holiday-themed oven mitts, dish towels, or serving dishes.

Larder beetles like to feed on old food, so you should put any kitchen décor through the dishwasher to remove food debris and deter the beetles. You also want to check any Christmas fabrics like tablecloths, rugs, and tree skirts. Larder beetles are also known for chewing on any fibers with oils or stains and will seek out the dark locations under those items.

Consistent cleaning will help deter the bugs, but professional treatment will limit future access to your house in the first place. Ideally, you want the treatment done after you pull out all of your décor so any beetles already inside the décor can be treated and removed from the home.

Make an appointment with Paffy's Pest Control so you can enjoy a pest-free holiday and spend a lot of time enjoying the décor that you put up. We can perform a full inspection, identify specific bugs, and give you treatment options that last for multiple months.