At first glance, a praying mantis ootheca—a small, hard, foam-like mass clinging to a fence post, branch, garden stake, or shrub—can seem oddly out of place, even unattractive. Its surface is tan or light brown, ridged and spongy, with a texture that is simultaneously firm yet slightly springy. To the casual observer, it may not immediately register as a living structure. It doesn’t look like a nest, it isn’t a fungus, and it certainly isn’t something you remember creating. In many cases, the… CONTINUE READING…
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