If you enjoy picking out the picture-perfect Christmas tree at the local tree farm with your family every holiday season, there’s a little-known feature you’ll want to keep an eye out for. Hiding beneath the vibrant green needles, shiny garland and festive ornaments might be a piece of nature seeking to run its course in your home – something neither you nor nature would appreciate. This Christmas, keep your eyes peeled for a praying mantis nest (or egg sac, ootheca, whatever you’d like to call it). Here’s what you need to be on the lookout for during this winter in Ohio:

There's nothing like the fresh scent of an authentic Christmas tree. Before you assume your handpicked tree is perfect, however, take a few minutes to examine the branches.
Joshua Ganderson/Flickr
What might look like a tiny pinecone to you might actually be an egg sack that's home to baby praying mantises waiting to hatch. On the outside, it might just look like a walnut-sized, somewhat foamy-in-texture mass. On the inside, it might contain hundreds of baby praying mantises. Not exactly the best "guess who" game in your living room, let me tell ya.
If you look closely, you'll likely see the mass on several different types of plants and branches. If you find one on your Christmas tree, you can help: simply clip the branch off and take it outside.
Melissa/Flickr
Leave it up in another evergreen tree where it's safe from falling or predators that might make it dinner. If the mass is left inside, the babies will hatch early and starve.

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Be sure to check your tree this season, just in case some baby praying mantises are attached.
Nathan Siemers/Flickr
You'll be grateful - and they'll definitely be grateful. They're quite intelligent, and to humans, harmless.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Ohio!
Sid Mosdell/Flickr
Sleep tight.

Have you ever spotted a praying mantis nest on your Christmas tree before? Share your thoughts, photos, and experiences with us! Planning to stay in this winter with or without mantises? You can’t do it without our handy-dandy home staycation ideas.

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Praying Mantis Nest

Tori Jane | November 13, 2023

What does a praying mantis nest look like?  

Praying mantises don’t create “nests” so much as “sacs”. Egg sacs are called oothecae, and one ootheca can produce anywhere from 50 to 200 babies, depending on a few factors. These oothecas look kind of like misshapen pinecones upon first glance, and sort of resemble a foamy – but solid - substance; they’re about the size of a quarter, if not a little larger. They can also be mistaken for lumps and bumps in the wood of the tree, so watch carefully: you don’t want these little fellas harmed, but you don’t want them to hatch in your home, either! Interested in creepy crawlies? Learn more about the spooky Joro spider!  

When do praying mantis eggs hatch in Ohio?  

Breeding season for praying mantises is typically in September and October, and then the females lay eggs in ootheca to keep them warm for the winter. Come spring, given the right conditions, the little mantises – called nymphs – will hatch. What are these conditions? These little fellas need about 10 to 15 days of warm weather and moderately cool nights; once they’re hatched, the juvenile mantises will meander off immediately in search of food, which I can totally identify with. Same, little buddies. Same.  

Where are some safe places to find Christmas trees in Ohio?  

The good news is this: should you get your tree at an actual Christmas tree farm, then you’re in business – most of these places spray their trees to make sure they’re inhospitable for mantises and other insects. Cutting down your own tree, however, always comes with the possibility of critters – so keep an eye out! Some of the best places to find Christmas trees in Ohio are:  

  • Apsley Family Christmas Trees – Wellston 
  • Medina Christmas Tree Farm – Medina 
  • Holy Christmas Trees – Lexington 
  • HTH Christmas Tree Lot – Columbus 
  • Holiday Farm Inc. - Somerset 
  • Feisley Tree Farms – Belmont 

Need more ideas? Check out some of the best things to do in Ohio during Christmas time.  

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