Praying Mantis Egg Case
Scientific Name: Ootheca (Stagmomantis limbata or Tenodera sinensis are common)
Order & Family: Order Mantodea, Family Mantidae
Size: 20 mm to 50 mm (0.8 to 2 inches) in length.
Natural Habitat
Attached to twigs, plant stems, walls, or fences in gardens and meadows.
Diet & Feeding
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.
Behavior Patterns
Female mantises lay eggs in a frothy mass that hardens into a papery, protective structure. Hundreds of nymphs usually emerge in the spring simultaneously.
Risks & Benefits
Extremely beneficial to the ecosystem and gardeners as they are natural predators that control pest populations. They pose no risk to humans.
Identified on: 1/11/2026