Ootheca

An ootheca (plural oothecae) is an egg mass produced by several different groups of insects. Most notably Praying mantids and cockroaches. Oothecae contain many eggs with a protective outer covering.

In the case of mantids the ootheca can contain several hundred eggs. When the young mantis nymphs emerge they hang down below the ootheca on a thread before splitting a sac-like covering and starting a free-living existence.

A photograph of Praying Mantis ootheca attached to a stick.
Photograph by Kropsoq, used under GFDL

Some species of cockroach produce an ootheca but then carry them at the end of their abdomen. This allows the female to protect the ootheca.

A photograph of cockroach ootheca.
Photograph by Eran Finklelicensed under Creative Commons.

Related terms

• Aedeagus
• Blattodea
• Chorion
• Eclosion
• Egg
• Mantodea
• Ovary
• Oviparity
• Ovipositor
• Spermatophore

Related groups of terms

• Insect life cycles

Related pages on this web site

• Cockroaches - Order Blattodea
• Insect life cycles
• Praying Mantids - Order Mantodea

See other words beginning with O