Praying mantis eggs could be hitchhiking on your Christmas tree. Here’s what to do

If you opted for a real Christmas tree instead of artificial, it couldn’t hurt to give it a good once-over — praying mantis eggs might have hitched a ride inside.

Officials in Erie County, Ohio, shared a photo to Facebook on Tuesday of what looks like a walnut. They say it’s something else, entirely: praying mantis eggs. Between 100 and 200 of them.

Praying mantises — which are attracted to various shrubs and trees — often choose Frasier fir Christmas trees to lay up to 400 eggs in the fall, experts at the University of Illinois say.

The eggs are encapsulated inside a liquid that hardens to protect the eggs, giving it the walnut-like appearance, according to researchers at Oregon State University.

If you find one of these pods on your Christmas tree, experts say you should remove the branch and take it outside to your garden or another tree.

“Once in your warm house, the baby praying mantis can hatch from its egg and will likely then starve,” University of Illinois researcher Chris Enroth said. “Scout for mantis eggs before bringing the tree indoors. If you find one, cut off the branch it is attached to and place it in an evergreen outside.”

Praying mantises are “formidable predators” often eating other insects like moths, crickets and flies, National Geographic says. Their pest-heavy diet makes them welcome guests in gardens, according to SFGate.

This story was originally published December 12, 2019 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Praying mantis eggs could be hitchhiking on your Christmas tree. Here’s what to do."