If You See This Thing Growing On Your Christmas Tree Get Rid Of It Immediately! Here's Why...
By Michele
Perhaps few traditions are as cherished during the holidays as a decorated Christmas tree, but they bring some real problems to the living room, too. Sap that stains? Check. Needles that double as choking-hazards? Check!
But some people are surprised to learn that there’s an even scarier problem in their evergreens. The Spissos family of Washington D.C. learned this firsthand when they neglected to check their tree before bringing it into the house.
When you see what was hiding among the branches, you’ll be shocked!
Back in 2011 the Spisso family from Washington D.C. had just enjoyed another Christmas together. Like any American family, they had a Christmas tree in their home to help them celebrate the festive season. However, when the time came to remove the tree, to their horror scores of little critters emerged.
In the run-up to Christmas, it’s relatively simple to find a place selling trees. According to a study by Pennsylvania State University, Americans splurge an incredible $250 million on Christmas trees every year. Furthermore, for those prepared to wait, trees become progressively cheaper as the big day approaches.
The Spissos picked December 3 to get their tree, which just happened to be a Saturday. In fact, that’s actually a very popular time to pick up these festive favorites. Indeed, data suggests that the first Saturday following Thanksgiving is when most Americans prefer to buy a tree.
The family found a tree they liked. It was a bit fat on the bottom and without that stereotypical perfect triangle shape, but it was pretty nonetheless. And, unbeknownst to them, it had an unhatched ootheca hidden in its branches…
Normally, tree lots shake down their evergreens to make sure oothecas don’t hitch a ride. Knocking the trunk on the ground a few times would typically be enough to loosen any egg pods. Not this time, though…
On the night in question—the night the Spissos family faced a holiday nightmare—they were out at dinner with plans to dispose of the Christmas tree later that evening. As they ate, life stirred inside the ootheca. And then, life broke through.
At first, only a few of the bugs likely left the comfort of their hardened protector…
Perhaps it was when the Spissos family was driving home from their meal that the ootheca finally spit out the rest of the newborn creepy crawlies inside. Over 200 of the insects sprung from the egg case and right into their living room. Yikes!
So what, exactly, did the Spissos family find 200 of their living room? And what did they do about it? Back from their dinner trip, too late to dispose their tree, the family was face-to-face with a swarm of baby bugs that had already started eating each other out of hunger.
In what would be a stomach-churning, dream-haunting event for most families, the Spissoses realized their living room had been flooded with baby praying mantises. Christmas lights, evidently, provide just the right temperature for these babies to thrive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stagmomantis_limbata
With 200 praying mantises feasting upon one another and hopping around your living room, you might be at a loss for what to do. Grab the vacuum? Burn the house down? Move away? The Spissos family actually handled the problem quite well…
Matt and Heather bought plastic terrariums and turned their praying mantis infestation into a biology lesson for their three kids! “I think it’s neat,” Matt told WTOP News. “I think it’s a learning experience for the kids.” Heather added, “They sit here and watch them like a fish tank.”
Moreover, although the Spissos didn’t know it at the time, mantis nests are an increasingly frequent problem for those buying Christmas trees. Indeed, some people have shared stories online about their own nest-related Christmas tree incidents. And one such person was Daniel Reed.
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,” Reed wrote on Facebook. “We had two egg masses on our tree this year. Don’t bring them inside, they will hatch!"
Reed’s post went viral, with over 75,000 people sharing the warning about the mantis nests. And many readers were moved to comment, with attitudes ranging from gratitude to disgust at the thought of having so many insects hatch in their homes. One user even said she had suffered a mass hatching of hundreds of mantises.
You know, after hearing about hundreds of tiny bugs crawl out of a Christmas tree, suddenly a few sap stains and loose needles don’t seem so bad!
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