-
Praying mantises lay egg cases (oothecae) outdoors in late summer or fall.
-
Christmas trees are grown on outdoor farms, so branches can already have egg cases attached.
-
The ootheca looks like a small brown, foamy, walnut-shaped lump, which is easy to miss.
-
When the tree is brought indoors, the warmth can trigger early hatching.
Is it dangerous?
-
❌ Not dangerous to people or pets
-
❌ Not harmful to the tree
-
⚠️ Impractical indoors: the babies will scatter and won’t survive long without food
What to do if you find one
-
Do not panic
-
Clip the branch holding the egg case
-
Place it outside on a tree, shrub, or sheltered garden spot
-
This allows the mantises to hatch naturally in spring, where they’re actually helpful insects
How to prevent surprises
-
Inspect your tree before bringing it inside
-
Look closely for unusual brown masses on branches
-
Gently shake the tree outdoors if possible
Fun fact 🌿
Praying mantises are considered beneficial insects because they eat garden pests—so finding their eggs isn’t a bad thing, just inconvenient indoors.
If you’d like, I can:
-
Rewrite this as a short social media post
-
Turn it into a kid-friendly explanation
-
Or condense it into a quick holiday safety tip
For Complete Cooking STEPS Please Head On Over To Next Page Or Open button (>) and don’t forget to SHARE with your Facebook friends.
