I've shown you one of these before.  Remember what it is?  

 

Praying Mantis egg case.  This one is in the Rosemary bush.  It's a little hard to tell how big it is from this picture, but if you touch your index finger to your thumb, that circle is about the size of this egg case.  It probably holds between 50 and 100 baby mantids.  

 

I love finding these in the winter, because I know we will have Praying Mantids in the spring.  I love seeing them, but even more I love that they eat bugs.  I saw a full grown Praying Mantis carrying off a full size Monarch caterpillar once.  OK, I didn't love that, but it is good that they eat other bugs.

 

HAPPY ALMOST SPRING!!!