What Is Yhis Strange Ball

Question

A ‘ball’ has appeared around the leaves and stem of an outdoor plant. Does anyone know what it is? The location is Helsinki, Finland. Would be very grateful for any insight.

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Answer 1

You can confirm by cutting and looking inside. Mantis eggs are almost always encased with a geometric pattern, and inside will have pockets in near perfect geometric patterning. A dead and drying slime mold will start to get brittle and change colors. It will have no patterning inside or out. The more information and photos offer, the better and more accurate of an answer I can give. Maybe photo of the inside inside might help me.

Answer 2

That would be one of several species of slime mold. They aren't really harmful, and can be remedied by letting the area dry out a little. The organism is not a harm to anything, however. They consume pathogens that would otherwise infect your plants. Usually, trying to kill it causes more harm to your plants than good.

Here is some more information:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/fungus-lichen/what-is-slime-mold-slime.htm

Answer 3

Thank you for your answer but it doesn’t look like slime or dog vomit. It is around a plant in a container with fairly dry conditions, it looks like it was papier-mâché consistency and has dried hard. It certainly looks like it has/had eggs inside. One thought after researching is that it is either a Praying or Chinese Mantis. Praying Mantis are present in Estonia a short distance away over the sea.