Living Christmas Trees Could Be Crawling With Bugs: The Spotted Lanternflies Can Get Into The House On Trees

November 19, 2019

Christmas is a favorite part of the year for many people. It is time to see your friends and family, eat delicious food and relax.

With Christmas around the corner, everyone is getting into the holiday spirit, and Christmas trees are a huge part of this process. But not so fast. There is one huge detail that you can miss! And we warned you about this last year.

It is always better to be careful with freshly cut Christmas trees. There are several different types of bugs that could be living in your tree. Today we are talking about a bug called the spotted lanternfly.

Christopher Lehman / Shutterstock.com

What exactly is the spotted lanternfly? What does a spotted lanternfly look like?

The spotted lanternfly is a planthopper and is known to feed on plants. It is also capable of laying up to 50 eggs at a time. The adult is just about an inch long with forewings that are greyish-brown. It has hindwings and they are mainly red with black spots, with a white band and a black tip.

Jana Shea / Shutterstock.com

When this bug is at rest, red color can be seen close to the forewings. This color is usually noticeable when it is in flight. It has a black body but its abdomen appears to be mostly yellow with black bands going down its length.

This bug poses a threat as it feeds on many plants that are vital to the industry. It must not be allowed to thrive. It is harmful to so many fruits and trees, such as grapes, stone fruits, hardwood, hops, and other valuable exports.

Jana Shea / Shutterstock.com

The spotted lanternfly and Christmas trees

There have been all sorts of reactions to these bugs on Christmas trees last year. Many citizens keep calling and reporting sightings of the spotted lanternfly in Pennsylvania. The Twitterverse is in on the conversation as the hashtag #spottedlanternfly is trending. One Twitter user said:

"They're not here yet, but kill them. Kill them like they kill your grapes & fruit trees"

#PennState Extension’s phone is ringing off the hook as citizens struggle with PA’s newest pest, the spotted lanternfly. https://t.co/gQ9p47D0iF
— Penn State Research (@PSUresearch) October 17, 2018

The spotted lanternfly is turning into a Grinch this year. https://t.co/YvSFe0IOWG
— Everybody Gardens (@EverybodyGardns) October 16, 2018

In this week's @BW is my story about America's spotted lanternfly invasion: https://t.co/G9rxYPNFEP

The grape and apple farmer in my piece, Calvin Beekman, has already lost about $390,000 to these bugs. Yesterday, he sent me this photo. That's a grape vine, teeming with bugs: pic.twitter.com/hmHbCjoaeK
— Andrew Zaleski (@ajzaleski) October 9, 2018

They're not here yet, but kill them. Kill them like they kill your grapes & fruit trees. #spottedlanternfly pic.twitter.com/WKL5WxEVvb
— Mike (@futuremike27) October 14, 2018

The spotted lanternfly is a big deal because it is an invasive species dangerous not only to trees but also to other plants.

Most types of bugs on your Christmas tree aren't harmful. If you happen to spot a bug or two in your tree, don’t panic. However, it is better to take preventative measures to keep pests out of your house.