Check Your Missouri Christmas Tree For Praying Mantis Sacks

Most people fall on one of two sides when it comes to their Christmas tree preference – some love real trees while others insist on an artificial tree. Artificial trees certainly have their advantages, including less upkeep. However, if you have a real Missouri Christmas tree in your home or plan to bring one in, do a thorough check for praying mantis sacks first. Don’t panic if you find them, but here’s what you need to know.

Christmas is right around the corner, and that means most of us are knee-deep in or have already finished decorating. If you have a real Christmas tree, you’ll definitely want to check it – branch by branch – for praying mantis sacks…

Flickr/Traveling Otter

Filled with praying mantises ready to hatch. Your chance of finding a praying mantis sack on your Christmas tree, according to some experts, is relatively low, about one in 100,000. Still, it’s good to know what to do just in case.

Flickr/Kristine Paulus Trees from Christmas tree farms usually don’t have praying mantis sacks or other insects, because farmers typically use chemicals to keep them away.

When a female lays her eggs, as many as 400 during the fall, she does so in trees, usually Fraser fir trees. Normally, the praying mantis sacks will remain in the trees, where they’ll be warm and protected, until they hatch in late spring or early summer.

Flickr/Melissa

If there are praying mantis sacks on your tree in your home, they’re going to warm up rather quickly. That, in turn, will likely cause them to hatch earlier (since the inside temperature mimics that of spring).

Flickr/the great 8

Praying mantises that hatch in your tree will die of starvation unless you take action. Start by going through your tree branch by branch, preferably before you bring it in the house.

Flickr/Ryan Hodnett

A praying mantis sack has a pinecone shape, although it’s about the size of the walnut. When the praying mantises hatch, you’ll see them start to poke through the sack.

Flickr/Daniela

If you find a praying mantis sack, cut off the entire branch, including the sack. Take the sack outdoors; find an evergreen tree; and place it in the tree. There, it should remain safe and warm, ready to hatch when the weather changes.

Flickr/Kaarina Dillabough

That’s it. While the chances of you finding a praying mantis sack are minimal, make sure you inspect the tree – just in case.

Flickr/Ed Kennedy

Where do you get your Missouri Christmas tree every year? Or, do you prefer to decorate an artificial tree? Let us know in the comments! If you need a break during the holiday season, pile the whole family into the car, turn up the Christmas carols, and head to one of these drive-thru Christmas lights displays.

Flickr/Traveling Otter

Flickr/Kristine Paulus

Trees from Christmas tree farms usually don’t have praying mantis sacks or other insects, because farmers typically use chemicals to keep them away.