Praying Mantis Egg Case

Attached to twigs, plant stems, walls, or fences in gardens and meadows.

The adult mantis is a carnivorous predator, but the egg case itself is a protective structure made of hardened foam. Hatchlings eat small soft-bodied insects like gnats and aphids.

Female mantises lay eggs in a frothy mass that hardens into a papery, protective structure. Hundreds of nymphs usually emerge in the spring simultaneously.

Extremely beneficial to the ecosystem and gardeners as they are natural predators that control pest populations. They pose no risk to humans.