If you have a live Xmas tree, watch out for these....

[BarcodeZebra]

Black Spruce Bark Aphid

We found literally thousands of them all packed in together up the trunk of our Xmas tree. They look just like green fly except they're black and ENORMOUS. 4 - 5 mm easily.

Very weird and creepy.

oh my they're horrid.

The picture doesn't really do them justice. they were all packed together like green fly often are. But they're HUGE.

I came over all masterful and said to DW, "Get the kids inside RIGHT NOW." Then I sprayed them with f*ck off bug spray whilst hopping from tip toe to tip toe, going, "Eeeeeeeuuuuuuuwwwww", through out. (I'm 6'5"....) Not a proud moment.

Bang goes organic gardening.

Isn't it a bit early to be thinking about Christmas trees, BarcodeZebra?

It's a survivor from last year.

Good Grief, I have a 40 foot one in my garden - will be inspecting it carefully tomorrow!

sorry - never too early to think about christmas! so sayeth the sugar plum fairy

I get real trees and bring them in the house... so do these things jump off the tree and invade your home???