Found this hard, foam-like brown structure attached to a fence post in the backyard

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A firm, tan, foamlike structure attached to a twig, shrub, or fence may be a praying mantis egg case, called an ootheca. A female produces froth around her eggs, which hardens into a protective casing. Depending on the species, it can hold dozens to hundreds of eggs. In many temperate regions, these survive winter before tiny mantises emerge continue reading …