Those buying trees have been urged to look out for brown walnut-sized lumps, which look similar to pine cones, as it may actually be a sac of 100-200 praying mantis eggs. A viral Facebook post from a previous Christmas is being re-shared as a warning, after a man found two of the clumps on his tree and advised others on the best way to deal with the problem. (Image: Facebook)Daniel Reed wrote : "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. One person replied to say: "We had a tree with one in and we didn’t know until they hatched. So it's probably worth taking the time out of your day to have a quick look.

Source: Daily Mirror November 26, 2020 14:12 UTC