Once established the tiny black insect loses the use of its legs and remains stationary after producing a waxy white coating to protect it from predators.

Most countries are unconcerned about the blight but it is banned in Bermuda because it is a potential threat to our precious cedars.

Last year Government inspectors had to fumigate a batch of Christmas trees twice which destroyed the $150,000 order according to importers BGA.

This year inspectors from Bermuda's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries found it in Quebec for the first time. However Nova Scotia was far worse -- only one of the 13 sites visited passed muster.