Thursday, January 2, 2020

Christmas pests (not pets)!

Ah, the Christmas tree! Symbol of every holiday season. Some trees go up in early November and stay up until mid-January or later.

Those trees are probably artificial, but for many there is nothing like the smell of a real Christmas tree. However, your real tree, wreath, or garland greenery may bring more than Christmas cheer to your house. It may also, unfortunately, bring pests.

book cover of christmas tree pest manual, Photos are of greenery, evergreen trees, and brown dying trees


Your local Federal Documents Depository Library may have a copy of the Christmas Tree Pest Manual. If not, you can access it online at access.gpo.gov

In 2019, a new insect pest was detected on Christmas greenery sold in South Dakota. This was covered in the news on both KOTA TV and www.blackhillsfox.com.

If you have questions about greenery or trees in South Dakota, you can contact the SD Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry.

If you want a Christmas tree from the Black Hills next year, look for the federal publication Cutting a Christmas tree on the Black Hills National Forest.

The SD State Library is a federal depository library and provides access to print and electronic federal government publications. Print publications are available via interlibrary loan. Electronic publications are linked from the state library online catalog.