I found this praying mantis egg sac on the fence this week. Flashing back to childhood I remember at age 9 or so, living in southern Florida. We lived on the very edge of some suburbs. At our backyard was trackless orange groves and swampy jungle. I spent much of my time outside of oppressive religious school in those groves and woods. Checking the ‘coon traps for an elderly man who owned the fruit trees. In this age before internet and even cable TV, the Gurney’s seed catalog was serious entertainment. Late one winter it arrived and had a new section featuring “beneficial insects”. You could actually order praying mantis egg sacs and hatch them at home!! I promptly ordered 3. When they arrived, I hung them in jars. When it warmed enough they hatched, coming out through little horizontal slits along the back. There must’ve been 300 in a jar. I let them loose in the garden and in our little hydro greenhouse. I think it was the high point of my year.