France in Focus

I have opened a new topic because all attemts to find the original have failed

Many, (too) many moons ago; I promised to get a photo of a Praying Mantis egg sack - or better called by the biologists a ootheca.

Since then I have found the egg sacks and have had no camera, or have had a camera and no egg sacks to see. In the open they do seem to be somewhat transitory. I have now found one protected in the inside structure of the greenhouse door frame.




As I suggested all those months ago, it looks a bit like a trilobite.

I found it in about 2 minutes !
viewtopic.php?f=24&t=9

Char
can you blend my post into the original please.

Blaze, I took 15 minutes with search and everything I tried told me not enough specific words

Praying mantis eggs

Strictly no it is not. It is the structure that holds the eggs - and they have already left from this structure.
The structure is known as the ootheca.

exile wrote: ↑Sun Jun 28, 2026 10:34 pm Strictly no it is not. It is the structure that holds the eggs - and they have already left from this structure.
The structure is known as the ootheca.

Yes you are correct, I didn't look that closely at the picture.
This is one being created, (hopefully the picture comes out)

Excellent picture @widge

+1