Officials Warn To Check Christmas Trees For “Clumps” Before Bringing Them Inside

It’s that time of year when millions of people bring Christmas trees into their homes to decorate with lights, ornaments, and perhaps some tinsel.

Many people head to the tree lot, store, or woods to bring a Christmas tree home without putting much thought into it. However, if you plan to get a Christmas tree this year, you may want to check it for hidden clumps.

Officials are warning people to be on the lookout for Christmas tree clumps and to remove them and put them outside if found.

The warning all started back in 2017 when Daniel Reed shared a photo of a Christmas tree “clump” on Facebook. In the post, he explained:

“If you happen to see a walnut sized/shaped egg mass, on your Christmas tree, don’t fret, clip the branch and put it in your garden. These are 100-200 preying mantis eggs!

We had two egg masses on our tree this year. Don’t bring them inside they will hatch and starve!”

The official Facebook page for Erie County, Ohio echoed the warning, confirming that people should be on the lookout for these clumps of preying mantis eggs on Christmas trees.

After all, the last you’d want is for the eggs to hatch and hundreds of babies to be on the loose! Putting them outside, particularly in a garden, is the best thing to do.

According to National Geographic, “Many gardeners and farmers welcome [praying mantis], because the insects they eat are often pests that hurt crops.”

Have you ever found praying mantis eggs on your Christmas tree before? Let us know!