Heading out to get a Christmas tree? Watch out for holiday hitchhikers in your tree

Every year, millions of Christmas trees are harvested and shipped across the country to bring joy and tradition into homes, but sometimes those trees carry more than just ornaments and good smells.

They can also carry invasive pests that threaten Michigan’s forests and ecosystems.

Before bringing a fresh-cut tree indoors, inspect it for signs of insects like the spongy moth or balsam woolly adelgid, two invasive pests on the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s watch list.

Balsam woolly adelgids are tiny, sap-sucking house insects that are small, oval-shaped and typically covered in a cottony or waxy white substance, which makes them look like tiny bits of snow or fluff clinging to branches.

Spongy moth caterpillars hatch from egg masses that look like fuzzy sponges. The caterpillars spend spring and early summer clearing oaks, aspens and other trees, but the tan, fuzzy egg masses can survive Michigan winters and pose a risk to Christmas trees.

If you suspect an infestation, notify MDARD at MDA-Info@Michigan.gov or through the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network’s reporting tool.

Want to learn more? Watch EGLE’s recent Holiday Hitchhikers: Unpacking Pests in Christmas Trees webinar.