Okay, not to freak anyone out , but apparently, it’s totally possible for your beautiful, festive Christmas tree to be playing host to some not-so-chill sacs of baby praying mantises.
Oh boy, I wish I was kidding.
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According to House Beautiful , those pine cone-looking lumps you might see hanging off your beloved tree could, in fact, be the most terrifying surprise you’ll get this holiday season. But as it turns out, you don’t actually need to panic. So, you know, try not to.
The local government of Erie County, Ohio, recently posted a PSA on Facebook about these little sacs of horror.
In the post , they wrote, “If you happen to see a walnut sized/shaped egg mass on your Christmas tree, don’t fret,” which I personally think is way easier said than done, all things considered.
“These are 100-200 praying mantis eggs,” the post reads. “Clip the branch and put it in your garden. Don’t bring them inside, they will hatch and starve.”
Sydney K. Brannoch, Ph.D, a postdoctoral student at the University of Washington, confirmed this phenomenon.
“Yes, praying mantises have been known to deposit egg cases (called ootheca/ oothecae) on various types of vegetation, including the trees that we love to decorate at Christmas time,” she told House Beautiful .
However, she did say this is something she’s never actually encountered herself. So while it is possible, it’s also not very common.
So what exactly does the expert say you should do if you stumble upon a sac of lil’ praying mantis babies?
Much like they suggested in Erie County, Brannoch says to clip the sac and place it on an outdoor branch, shrub or yes, even in the garden.
Now, if that sac happens to open up while still indoors, she says to gently sweep up your new pet praying mantises and place them into a Tupperware dish.
After that, your next move really depends on your feelings towards those insects.
You could place the container into the freezer right away to, ahem , get rid of the problem.
“Or,” Brannoch said, “transfer [the mantis nymphs] to a terrarium to feed and play with until the summer when you can release them back into the wild.”
My advice? Give your Christmas tree a really good, really *thorough* once over as soon as possible.
I, personally, would rather find a sac intact than discover one has hatched open and I’m now sharing my home with some 200 or so baby praying mantises.
Let’s all just try to have the best Christmas possible, okay?
h/t: House Beautiful
