Ootheca

: oothecae /oʊ.əˈθiːsiː/) is a type of egg capsule made by any member of a variety of species including mollusks (such as Turbinella laevigata), mantises, and cockroaches.

Latin ovum), and theca, meaning a "cover" or "container", from the Greek theke.

[1] The production of ootheca convergently evolved across numerous insect species due to a selection for protection from parasites and other forms of predation, as the complex structure of the shell casing provides an evolutionary reproductive advantage (although the fitness and lifespan also depend on other factors such as the temperature of the incubating ootheca).

[4][5] Oothecae are most notably found in the orders Blattodea (Cockroaches) and Mantodea (Praying mantids), as well as in the subfamilies Cassidinae (Coleoptera) and Korinninae (Phasmatodea).

[6] The ootheca protects the eggs from microorganisms, parasitoids, predators, and weather.