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Mantis Ootheca

Mantodea

Photo by Bernadette S
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

I was SO excited to find this is my garden yesterday! "Praying mantids typically lay their eggs in late summer or fall, and the young develop within the ootheca over the winter months. The foamy case insulates the offspring from the cold and provides them with some protection from predators. Tiny mantid nymphs hatch from their eggs while still inside the egg case." ~ThoughtCo.com

Habitat:

Spotted on a Butterfly Pea plant in my desert garden

Notes:

Possibly belongs to a Giant African Mantis (Sphodromantis viridis) as I spotted several of these in the summer in my garden.

Reference Links:

Ootheca - Wikipedia, Praying Mantis Egg Case

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (9)
Bernadette S
@Tukup - Thank you! Project Noah is the reason I knew what this was when I saw it. I've learned so much here. :-)
Bernadette S
@SukanyaDatta - Yes, extra nice when the surprise is in my own garden - and I can check on it every day!
Tukup
Nice catch Bernadette. I wouldn't have even known what it was. Now I do. Thanks for sharing that and congratulations on the SOTD.
SukanyaDatta
Congratulations Bernadette. Isn't it wonderful when one's own garden springs such a lovely surprise!
Bernadette S
Yes, I am indeed excited, Daniele! :-) I've been wanting to find one of these for many years now. So I am extra pleased with a SOTD. Thank you all!
Brian38
Congrats Bernadette! Awesome spotting!
AntónioGinjaGinja
very cool find Bernadette,congrats on the well deserved SOTD and thanks for sharing
DanielePralong
I can see you were excited by your find Bernadette! Congratulations, it is our Spotting of the Day: "They can contain several hundred eggs! This mantis ootheca is our Spotting of the Day. Oothecae (egg cases) are a type of egg mass where eggs are protected by a hardened structure made of proteins. An example of convergent evolution, in insects oothecae are found in Dictyoptera (cockroaches, termites and praying mantises), grasshoppers and locusts (Orthoptera: Caelifera), heelwalkers (Mantophasmatodea), some chrysomelid beetles (Coleoptera: Cassidinae), and even some stick insects (Korinninae). Oothecae protect the eggs from desiccation or oversaturation, predators, and parasitoids. Their composition and appearance depend on species and on environment". Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/photos/a.10150595289465603/10161512683265603/?type=3&theater&ifg=1 Twitter: https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/1098740606808018945

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PublishedFebruary 21, 2019

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