Praying mantis egg mass

5910   Hi there,  I’m hoping that you can identify this cocoon for me. I’ve been finding quite a few of them in my barn this winter and I’ve come across one in the pasture but I’m sure there are a lot more. I’m worried about an infestation of something come spring. I live in Flamborough (Southwestern Ontario). Thanks, Chantal.  B.Sc.(Env.), University of Guelph.

This should be a welcome infestation, as this is an ootheca (egg mass) of a praying mantis. When the eggs hatch (usually in the late spring/early summer), the little mantids will set about capturing and eating many potentially injurious insects. Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.