Mantis Egg Pod

An ootheca is a type of egg mass made by any member of a variety of species (usually insects or mollusks).
The word is a latinized combination of oo-, meaning "egg", from the Greek word ōon (cf. Latin ovum), and theca, meaning a "cover" or "container", from the Greek theke. Ootheke in Greek means ovary.
An ootheca usually contains many eggs surrounded by a foam of protein which may then harden into a tough casing for protection. Notable ootheca-making insects are the mantis and cockroach.