A Strange New Christmas Ornament?
'Tis the season for folks across the world to put up a tree inside their house. For many, the early weeks of December (or even earlier) are the time to get a fresh cut evergreen and turn it into the Christmas centerpiece of their home. What folks may not realize is that they may be bringing in some unexpected guests for a holiday treat.
A mantis egg case (ootheca, pronounced oh-oh-thee-cuh) may be present on the Christmas tree. Mantises are insects with three life stages; egg, nymph, and adult. The adults lay their hardy egg case on branches or twigs during the fall and these eggs will lay dormant until the warmer temperatures of the spring. Once spring comes around and the eggs hatch, the young mantis nymphs will have a good chance at survival in the warm weather. Sometimes, a mantis will lay its ootheca on a branch belonging to a future Christmas tree.
When the tree is brought inside, the warmer temperatures indicate to the ootheca that it must be spring and it is time for the mantises to hatch. Suddenly, you have dozens or even hundreds of tiny mantises in your home! Recent viral videos have showed homes in such situations. This is not a very common occurrence, but every now and then some household will be faced with more mantises than they might ever desire. As an entomologist, I would probably end up collecting some to rear, but I know that I am in the minority of cases with that attitude. Mantises are predators of other insects and require other small bugs to eat so they require a bit of upkeep to raise. On the other hand, and what is more common, is that the members of the household are not overly thrilled about their new roommates and want to get rid of the excess mantises quickly.
The good news is that without adequate food, the mantises will die off rather quickly. Indoors, mantis food is rather scarce as young nymphs are known to feed on very small insects. Even if a few were to find some food, they would quickly run out and die off without the steady supply that their natural environment usually provides. Its also important to note that they are quite harmless. They won't bite you or your pets.
Looking to avoid hundreds of tiny Christmas presents? Make sure to inspect your tree before bringing it into your home. Checking around the branches for an ootheca is worth a few minutes of your time. Not all trees will have one, but if you do find any, you can remove it from the branch and place it outside for the spring. These mantises may be unwanted in the home, but outdoors they can make great biological control agents for gardens.
Article by Ellie Lane
References:
https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/hundreds-of-mantises-emerged-from-a-familys-christmas-tree
