Yet Another Ootheca

I found this praying mantis egg case when a dead grape leaf in the greenhouse curled up and revealed its underside. It is rather large, unlike some of the later outdoor ones. Close up you can see the bubbly nature of the construction. This insulates the eggs and developing nymphs from both frosts and warm sunshine. The two rows of white discs mark the tops of each egg chamber, about 24 in this case.