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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To burn my Christmas tree?

23 replies

beaverbill · 22/12/2018 21:28

2 weeks ago we trotted off as a family to choose and chop down a beautiful Christmas tree and brought it home. We’ve decorated it beautifully and love said tree very much. However, the bloody thing has decided to spout forth black bugs all over the living room. I’ve vacuumed 3 times already this evening! I’ve shook the bloody thing to try and get them to fall out!
Do I need to fumigate? Shall I leave now? Help oh wise people...everyone is coming here on Christmas Day!
Seriously...his do I get rid of the little buggers?

OP posts:
Wallabyone · 22/12/2018 21:33

W have this too for the first time this year!! They look like small spiders, with maybe 6 legs, and they are crawling slowly and dying everywhere Confused I can't believe how many we've had to clear up, over 100 I'd say. They're awful.

Original poster
beaverbill · 22/12/2018 21:35

Yes! Yours sound the same as ours. I’ve never had this before. Is there something you could do to attract them? Like a bowl of sugar water would attract wasps? I could set a trap if I knew how to!

OP posts:
rascallyrascal · 22/12/2018 21:38

We had these two. Emptied 1/2 a can of raid onto the tree and have Lyn seen them since! They are harmless though.

flapjackfairy · 22/12/2018 21:42

You can buy spray to treat the tree to prevent this problem.
We learnt the hard way to spray it before bringing it in as the warmth causes them to hatch. You could strip it and spray it then redress if you can be bothered !

Original poster
beaverbill · 22/12/2018 21:48

Thank you so much! The tree is going to be sprayed tomorrow!

OP posts:
BunsOfAnarchy · 22/12/2018 22:02

Yuck yuck yuck.
DH made me get plastic one by telling me stories of bugs...all this time i thought it was a lie lol

Plastic all the way!

Walkerbean16 · 22/12/2018 22:13

ShockShockShock

I'm going to have nightmares about this!

tor8181 · 22/12/2018 22:19

im glad i didnt get one now or in the future from now on

i was in two minds this year but decided against it as my house is always 35 degrees+ and i though the tree would dry out

i couldnt be dealing with ucky bugs

snozzlemaid · 22/12/2018 22:31

We had this last year. They did stop after a few days. I think they wake up when you bring them into a warm house but will then die shortly after. I was itching so much and I thought the house would be infested.
We got an artificial one this year. Never having real again after that experience.
I think you're not supposed to spray aerosol on them too much as it makes the tree really flammable.

Cherries101 · 22/12/2018 22:37

If you have a bodycare or even a local Indian shop near you, try and get some neem oil and rub it wherever the bugs come out from. It’ll repel them or kill them outright without harming you or the baubles

Wallabyone · 22/12/2018 22:37

Whatever our bugs are, they have a lot of red juice inside-do bugs have blood?!! Everyday, I think that must be it, and then the next day there are more!

FestiveNut · 22/12/2018 22:42

OK... Plastic for me. I can keep it for twenty years...

ErrolTheDragon · 22/12/2018 23:11

Plastic for me. I can keep it for twenty years...

At least - our tree is 17 now and still absolutely fine.

I quite like the idea of having a small live tree in a pot outside which could be decorated and moved to beside the front door for Xmas (residents and all) ... does anyone do that?

PostnatalBaileysEmbarassment · 22/12/2018 23:44

Ugh this thread is making me itch... 🐜

Insomnibrat · 22/12/2018 23:57

Cripes!

Pets at home do those room bomb aerosols which you deploy into a room and then shut the door and retreat to a safe distance for a couple of hours. It's bug napalm. Nothing lives.

NoAprilFool · 23/12/2018 00:03

They’re probably aphids and won’t do any harm. Alarming though!

www.saferbrand.com/articles/common-christmas-tree-bugs-how-to-get-rid-of-them

Original poster
beaverbill · 23/12/2018 08:01

I’ve always had a real tree and never had this problem before. I’m guessing it’s because we actually cut it down and took it straight home whereas it’s normally been sat in a garden centre for a few days beforehand.
Thanks for all of the advice. Think I’ll go get the vacuum out for a change!

OP posts:
LEMtheoriginal · 23/12/2018 08:03

DO NOT KILL THEM!! they are actually Santa's little helpers and if you kill them you'll ruin xmas!

madcatladyforever · 23/12/2018 08:05

Thia is what happens when you bring wild things into the house. get a fake tree next year.

steff13 · 23/12/2018 08:08

My best friend had this one year, but it was praying mantises. Hundreds of them. 😳

Shylo · 23/12/2018 08:10

Erroll - yes, I do this ...... although they don’t last endlessly in my experience . I have a new door step tree this year as the last one died during the summer and I’m determined to keep this one going!

guiltynetter · 23/12/2018 08:10

oh my god. I've often thought of getting a real tree but I never ever will now!

Believeitornot · 23/12/2018 08:13

After 10 years of buying real trees, we had similar for the first time.

In our case it was slugs and worms 🤢

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