Help! Christmas tree infested with bugs!

4 years ago

So it was getting dark when I chopped down my Christmas tree over the weekend and I guess I didn't check closely enough for bugs before bringing it home. I've now spent at least the last hour vacuuming my tree (there's a sentence I never thought I'd say) and I'm confident I haven't gotten them all. Whatever these bugs are they blend it perfectly with the budding branches.
Can anyone ID this bug? Most of them are dried up carcasses half stuck in a sticky cocoon, but I think I vacuumed a whole one up that had wings. After Googling extensively, my best guess is a sawfly? But, every Google image result looks completely different from the one before it. If that's correct, can anyone tell me anything about them? Is there a better way to find them other than just diligently searching every single branch?Are they dangerous (like if my dog were to eat one)? Should I get rid of the tree immediately because they will infest my house? Etc.
It's a spruce tree (Blue? Engelmann?) from South Park County, Colorado cut down on National Forest land.

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Comments (8)

allyssa macallister
Original Author
4 years ago
This picture may be easier to see...
gawdinfever Z6
4 years ago
Bagworms? I don't think they are harmful. Sounds like you just pull all the cocoons off. I suspected as much and googled.
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plantkiller_il_5
4 years ago
Not bagworm

not sawfly

can you get one on a piece of paper & take pic ?

moth of some sort , don't think they dangerous

ron
nandina
4 years ago
Here in the South we have been warned to check Christmas trees carefully for tan colored cocoons which harbor tiny hatching Praying mantis. Could that be your problem?
krnuttle
4 years ago
Have you seen live bugs? If so you may try to spray it thoroughly with Raid or something similar. If you can it would be best to take it outside.

If they are dead, I would not worry about them, unless you plan on eating or eating from the tree.

It is just one of the advantages of having a real tree.

Over the many years we have had real Christmas trees we have had baby spiders, and other minor insect problems. I think the most disturbing was the time we cut our own tree. At the time our living room had hard wood floors, and after being up for several days, periodically through the night we would hear what sounded like bbs hitting the floor. We finally determined that the pine cones were warming up and broadcasting their seeds over our living room.

It could be worse

https://www.gocomics.com/pickles/2021/12/15
allyssa macallister
Original Author
4 years ago
I think "plantkiller_il_5" is right. I think they're some sort of moth. I haven't found any live ones or full cocoons (just half bodies stuck in them). I tried to get one off onto a piece of paper and decided that what I've been finding are exoskeletons and not actually bugs. Gross but makes me feel a little better since I don't think bugs usually stick around after hatching from a cocoon/shedding their exoskeleton.

I've attached the photo of what I could get onto the paper in case I'm wrong or there's egg sacks or something I should be looking for. Thanks everyone!
bengz6westmd
4 years ago
Yeah, the the remains of a pupae-skin. The bug's long gone.
plantkiller_il_5
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
mantis case are large , like 1 to 1.5 in.

so are bag worm bags

ron