Christmas tree 'warning'

[Maik]

Warning over praying mantis eggs attached to Christmas trees
Check your Christmas tree ASAP

Although Christmas-time means dragging trees into our homes to deck them out in ornaments and fairylights, it is important to remember that these trees may already be fulfilling an important job.

Hidden in the branches amongst your festive decorations hundreds of eggs can be lurking.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/facebook-christmas-tree-important-preying-mantis-a8128951.html


That's from 2017 and it appears to be regurgitated every year, e.g. article in today's edition of the Sun.

The warning originated in the USA. Although trees are imported from overseas, British Christmas tree growers sell 6,000,000 - 8,000,000 trees a year and, although I'm no expert, I doubt they'll have praying mantises living on them. Fairly unlikely any other insect, either, unless it's hopped aboard after cutting down as the trees are pest treated.

Even in the States, "by one estimate, only 1 in 100,000 Christmas trees has a post-harvest pest", according to Snopes.

If you're thinking you'll be 'safer' with an artificial tree, well, back in 2015 the Daily Mail reported...

The stuff of nightmares before Christmas: Couple horrified by artificial tree from Sainsbury's that came complete with a mummified preying MANTIS

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3359193/The-stuff-nightmares-Christmas-Couple-horrified-artificial-tree-Sainsbury-s-came-complete-mummified-preying-MANTIS.html

Praying mantis are fairly common in Greece and I've never heard of one attacking a human. They're quite cute, really.

Merry Christmas! 

[Misty]

Made me think of my visit to Saint George's castle in Peratata this year, while looking at the wares outside
of the gift shop I felt something land on my head. After some panicky shouting a large praying mantis was
brushed off my head!
In retrospect I wish I had stayed calm enough for a photo to be taken.