Ootheca

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An ootheca /oʊ.əˈθiːkə/ (pl. oothecae /oʊ.əˈθiːsiː/) - is a Latinized combination of oo-, meaning "egg", from the Greek word ōon (cf. Latin ovum), and theca, meaning a "cover" or "container", from the Greek theke.   Ootheke is Greek for ovary.  

An ootheca is a type of egg mass formed by a protein secretion that hardens into a tough casing for protection.  The egg mass on the trail camera strap above is from a praying mantis.  I'm saving it in a cold, dark place for my pal Six Deuce to hatch into baby mantids this spring.

Side note concerning the foreplay that led to this resulting egg mass.  Around 90% of the predatory species of mantises participate in sexual cannibalism.  Adult males typically outnumber females at first, but their numbers may be fairly equivalent later in the adult stage.  This is possibly a consequence of females selectively chowing on the smaller males.  The female may begin feeding by biting off the male's head (as they do with regular prey).  If mating has commenced prior to the beheading the male's movements may become even more vigorous in its delivery of sperm.  

Mating rituals in the mantis world are engaged-in at great personal peril...

Source: Wikipedia