It is just about time to put the Christmas decorations up, with people already having put up their tree this year.
However, if opting for a real tree, you could be bringing lots of germs and bugs into your home. There could be hundreds of bugs harbouring in your festive greenery, with a warning issued urging people to check their trees for small walnut-sized lumps. And if you come across one, it is important to remove it immediately.
It is important to get rid of the pine cone looking clumps as they could be a sac of 100-200 praying mantis eggs. You should get rid of the lumps as soon as possible before the eggs hatch, or you can risk a nasty infestation. In a bid to spread he warning, social media users have been sharing the signs to look out for after several unlucky homeowners had to learn their lesson the hard way.
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After sharing pictures of two clumps on his tree on social media, a Facebook user issued advice on the best way to deal with the problem, reports The Mirror.
The post read: "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 (sic) mantis eggs! We had two egg masses on our tree this year. Don’t bring them inside they will hatch and starve!"
The post has since went viral, being shared more that 185,000 times, with several people claiming to have found similar lump on their trees.
One commented: "We had a tree with one in and we didn’t know until they hatched. They were everywhere."
A second person wrote: "That s*** happened to me a few years ago it was crazy, went to my in laws house came back to a bunch of little bugs, found out they were praying mantises." Another added: "I think I have PTSD from when it happened to us."
So if you have opted for a real Christmas tree this year, it is well worth taking the time to check. Otherwise, you might find yourself catering for a much larger party than expected this festive season.
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