Way OT- I am afraid to buy a Christmas Tree

[Virgderon]

So... I need a new Christmas tree....and I am afraid that I will end up with bed bugs. Is this crazy? It feels crazy!

With all the stuff in the news about bed bugs I am getting afraid to buy anything they can hide in.

Do you think this is an irrational fear? How can I check my Christmas tree for bed bugs?

Go ahead... tell me I am nuts.. I kind of want you to.

 

[luvmy3]

I think you need to stop watching TV and reading the newspaper. Bed bugs have been around for ever and if you weren't worried about them before than a few sensationalized news stories shouldn't make you afraid to now.
I'm not saying that they are not a problem, however I don't think they are taking over the world just yet.

 

[allison443]

Okay this is a dumb question....do you mean a real or artifical Christmas tree?

 

[indimom]

Okay, I'll humor you...

YOU'RE NUTS!!!!!

Stop watching the news, stop reading the paper and get on with your life. You'll be happier for it!

 

[Virgderon]

Artificial. My nutty thought is that if the tree has been sitting around in a box in a warehouse somewhere, the bugs will have gotten in the box and therefore the tree.

Maybe I should just buy a real tree.

 

[hambirg]

Whoa! Why would a Christmas tree have bed bugs? They are a parasite of humans. . .pretty sure they aren't out living in the woods that are tree farms, and if they were, they wouldn't survive long . . .not too many humans to suck blood out of there. They are called "bed" bugs for a reason. . .that's where you will find them. Just like "head" lice. You won't find those in Christmas trees, but on people's heads. I think it might be prudent to check beds that you might sleep in for them. . .but they won't be piggybacking in on your Christmas tree. So yes, your fear is irrational.

Ok, I posted before I saw this:

Artificial. My nutty thought is that if the tree has been sitting around in a box in a warehouse somewhere, the bugs will have gotten in the box and therefore the tree.

Maybe I should just buy a real tree.

Still, unless someone is using the boxed trees in a warehouse as a bed, you won't find them there. And seriously. . .turn off the tv. Bed bugs have been around forever. . .they are a nuisance and can be costly to get rid of. . .but they aren't going to kill you. I put them in the same category as lice and fleas. The world is full as more dangerous things than bed bugs. . .you are more likely to be killed in a car accident, but I bet you still manage to travel in a car.

 

[KarenAylwood]

Artificial. My nutty thought is that if the tree has been sitting around in a box in a warehouse somewhere, the bugs will have gotten in the box and therefore the tree.

Maybe I should just buy a real tree.

You probably shouldn't buy anything that is stored in a warehouse from now on.




Sorry, didn't mean to laugh at you... I know for a lot of people worries like these are very real even if they aren't to me. The place I worry about bed bugs is in hotels and such- where there are people around (to feed on). And even then it's not a very big fear.

If you get a real tree you have to worry about fire hazard, etc (I'm assuming you're a worrier- I wouldn't mind getting either kind of tree). I'd say get an artificial tree from a reputable store and you should be ok.

 

[beansmom]

I think you need to stop watching TV and reading the newspaper. Bed bugs have been around for ever and if you weren't worried about them before than a few sensationalized news stories shouldn't make you afraid to now.
I'm not saying that they are not a problem, however I don't think they are taking over the world just yet.

ok, i agree that OP is prolly safe to buy an Xmas tree...however....

my DD went to school in NYC a couple years ago and over her two years there, her belongings were infested about six different times with bedbugs from the dorms. It IS a real problem...they ARE increasing in number...and while they are a pita, it's not an insurmountable problem and you live even if you run into them.

Having said that, I'll be taking several flea collars to Italy just in case.

 

[luvmy3]

ok, i agree that OP is prolly safe to buy an Xmas tree...however....

my DD went to school in NYC a couple years ago and over her two years there, her belongings were infested about six different times with bedbugs from the dorms. It IS a real problem...they ARE increasing in number...and while they are a pita, it's not an insurmountable problem and you live even if you run into them.

Having said that, I'll be taking several flea collars to Italy just in case.

In my post I said "I'm not saying they are not a problem" so I'm not sure why you quoted me.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Bed bugs need a human host.... Buy it, store it for a few days in a bag outside if you are concerned. I personally think you are going over to the deep side with your concerns, you asked!!

 

[akcire]

Bed bugs need a human host.... Buy it, store it for a few days in a bag outside if you are concerned. I personally think you are going over to the deep side with your concerns, you asked!!

I know a good amount about bed bugs. The first thing to realize is they only need to eat once a year to stay alive; however fabric and batting material is their preferred location.

Since my husband travels internationally, sometimes to some seriously poor countries, we have a whole routine.

You can purchase things that kill bed bugs if it will make you feel better--you can spray them with some chemicals, just google.

We "treat" his luggage with temperature every time he goes somewhere questionable. He is not afraid of his hotels--since he checks the rooms--he is afraid of the other luggage in the under belly of the plane on trips.

We live in IL--so if it is winter--his suitcase and all of his possessions remain in the garage in garbage bags for one week. It gets cold enough to kill anything.

If it is summer we put all his stuff into a giant fake suitcase with a heater--it heats up to like 125 degrees which is enough to kill bed bugs. With dozens of trips to horrible places our home has never been infected--we have found a few dead bugs in the "treatment suitcase thing".

Following the heat or cold treatment weather dependent, I then sort his clothes in the garage and walk loads directly to the washing machine. It may sound a little nutty--but it is better than having to treat my whole house or have a cat with bed bugs.

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes, bedbugs do need a human host, but they actually can survive without any food in a "dormant" state for up to 18 months. HOWEVER ...

One thing that bedbugs cannot take is heat. Most warehouses, except for those used for grocery products, are not air-conditioned, so anything that is in one in the summertime for any length of time is likely to have been cooked very nicely. Buy your tree now before the winter shipments come in, and you should be safe no matter what.

PS: I do think that you're getting a bit carried away with fear on this topic, but if you can't put the worry away entirely, applying some common sense to develop a purchase strategy that you are comfortable with should help.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Is this crazy? It feels crazy!

Yes, it is.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I would worry more about the bugs a real tree would have on it.

Suzanne

 

[luvmy3jewels]

Following the heat or cold treatment weather dependent, I then sort his clothes in the garage and walk loads directly to the washing machine. It may sound a little nutty--but it is better than having to treat my whole house or have a cat with bed bugs.

Forgive my ignorance, but is there a big problem with cats and bed bugs?

 

[MomToOne]

So... I need a new Christmas tree....and I am afraid that I will end up with bed bugs. Is this crazy? It feels crazy!

So why do you think your fear is centered around the Christmas tree, and not around more commonly purchased items like groceries that you buy once a week? Or the paper towels or clothes you picked up someplace like Target last week? I'm wondering if the fear has less to do with bedbugs and more to do with something around Christmas, and you are just landing on bedbugs as a more comfortable excuse...

 

[dislal]

Does anyone know how big bedbugs are? Can you see them with the naked eye? TIA I have a friend traveling to FL and she is very concerned about them.

 

[hambirg]

Does anyone know how big bedbugs are? Can you see them with the naked eye? TIA I have a friend traveling to FL and she is very concerned about them.

http://www.ento.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/bedbug.htm

That says adults are 1/4 inch long.

 

[dislal]

http://www.ento.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/bedbug.htm

That says adults are 1/4 inch long.

Thank you!! I didn't realize they were that big.

 

[jt'smom]

I know a good amount about bed bugs. The first thing to realize is they only need to eat once a year to stay alive; however fabric and batting material is their preferred location.

Since my husband travels internationally, sometimes to some seriously poor countries, we have a whole routine.

You can purchase things that kill bed bugs if it will make you feel better--you can spray them with some chemicals, just google.

We "treat" his luggage with temperature every time he goes somewhere questionable. He is not afraid of his hotels--since he checks the rooms--he is afraid of the other luggage in the under belly of the plane on trips.

We live in IL--so if it is winter--his suitcase and all of his possessions remain in the garage in garbage bags for one week. It gets cold enough to kill anything.

If it is summer we put all his stuff into a giant fake suitcase with a heater--it heats up to like 125 degrees which is enough to kill bed bugs. With dozens of trips to horrible places our home has never been infected--we have found a few dead bugs in the "treatment suitcase thing".

Following the heat or cold treatment weather dependent, I then sort his clothes in the garage and walk loads directly to the washing machine. It may sound a little nutty--but it is better than having to treat my whole house or have a cat with bed bugs.

first to the op, i wouldn't worry about bedbugs in artificial trees

second, i wanted to add some extra advice to great info above. my dh has been selling and treating bedbug treatments for a well-known pest control company for a long time. when heat treatment is used they seal off the entire room and bring the temp up to 125-130 and keep it constant for 2-3 hours. that is the best way to achieve 100% success rate. also, plain old cold doesn't guarantee success. it has to be "extreme (like 0)" cold, because the way the cold works is it crystallyzes the liquid inside the little buggers body and causes them to explode. you can actually freeze bedbugs in a block of ice and thaw it in a month and they will be fine and dandy! and unfortunately i know this because i've had a few in my freezer so my dh could use them in a chamber of commerce presentation!!!

last i want to say to the op who i quoted, i make my dh change clothes in the garage and black garbage bag everything, including shoes, when he does bedbug inspections, so i'm with you on that strategy we leave them out in the blazing sun for a few days here in the deep south, and i've had to shake out lots of dead bugs... yuck!