The festive countdown is well underway, and for countless households, the tradition kicks off with erecting the Christmas tree.
However, beneath the glittering decorations and baubles, uninvited visitors may be hiding. Whilst we anticipate only gifts beneath our trees, they can harbour a surprising number of insects.
Should this worry you, keep an eye out for a brown, walnut-sized hardened cluster – resembling a pine cone – as it may not be quite what it appears. It could, in fact, be an egg case containing 100-200 praying mantis eggs.
Real trees offer an ideal hiding spot for these egg sacs, which camouflage seamlessly amongst the branch tips. Our cosy, heated homes then create the perfect conditions for them to emerge.
This cautionary tale has previously spread widely online, and it’s likely to concern many as they transport their festive fir indoors for trimming. TikTok creator Lexi Natoli warned in a widely-shared video: « If you see this on your Christmas tree, get rid of it immediately. It might not look like much but this is actually a praying mantis egg sac and they’re really commonly found on Christmas trees. », reports the Mirror.
« When you bring the tree inside, the warmth of your house will cause them to hatch and you will have hundreds of preying mantis’ running around your house. So, do yourself a favour and check your tree. »
Viewers flocked to the comments section to share their reactions. One enthusiast said: « I’m so excited to raise a colony of praying mantis’, » whilst another recounted a less pleasant experience: « One hatched in my house once. It was terrible. »
A third joked: « This is why we get reusable plastic trees in the UK. »
Similarly, someone else joked: « My family [has been] using the same plastic Christmas tree for 10 years LOL. »
Recalling a startling incident, one commenter revealed: « We found this and didn’t know what it was. My mum had it in her car from the Christmas tree, I don’t know why. And one day, thousands of babies were all in the car. »
Another explained their caution: « Stuff like this (and stories from my firefighter grandfather) are the reasons why I will never get a real tree for Christmas. »
It’s worth noting this warning concerns only genuine Christmas trees, with such egg sac discoveries being uncommon, particularly in Britain.
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