Finding a strange, foam-like object attached to a tree branch, fence, or garden stake can be puzzling. Its tan, bubbly appearance may even make you wonder if it’s a fungus or an insect nest. In many cases, however, it’s something far more fascinating—a praying mantis egg case, known as an ootheca.
During late summer or fall, female praying mantises lay their eggs inside a frothy substance that quickly hardens into a protective casing. This sturdy shell shields dozens, or even hundreds, of developing eggs from harsh winter weather until spring arrives.
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