With Thanksgiving behind us, all attention is turned to Christmas and Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is reminding residents to check their holiday decorations for uninvited guests. Evergreen decorations like Christmas trees, wreaths, and boughs can make good homes for invasive plant pests. While many species are not established in Wisconsin’s landscape, in years past invasive insects like elongate hemlock scale has been detected on products from other states. EHS is a threat to Wisconsin’s Christmas trees, native hemlock and balsam fir forests, and decorative evergreens. It can survive on cut trees and wreaths for weeks, even in harsh winter weather, and is identified by yellow or brown needles and small brown spots on the underside of the needles. You can help protect Wisconsin’s natural resources and Christmas tree industry by checking trees and wreaths for the pest, or by purchasing items grown locally. Wisconsin is home to more than 850 Christmas tree farms and a list of retail locations can be found at christmastrees-wi.org.