That alien-looking egg is actually the “witch’s egg” stage of a stinkhorn fungus (most likely Clathrus archeri, commonly known as Devil’s Fingers or the Octopus Stinkhorn).

Identification & Features

• The Gelatinous Egg Stage: Before fully emerging, stinkhorn fungi grow in a soft, leather-like outer sac filled with a thick, gelatinous membrane. Visible inside are the compressed, bright red/pink arms waiting to burst open.
• The Infamous Smell: Once it matures and hatches, the fungus expands into bright red, octopus-like tentacles coated in a dark, foul-smelling slime (gleba). The odor mimics rotting meat or sewage to attract flies and beetles, which eat the slime and disperse the fungus’s spores elsewhere.

Safety & Context

• Harmless to People & Pets: Despite the dramatic appearance and intense rot-like stench, stinkhorns are non-toxic and won’t harm your lawn, plants, or pets.
• Sensory Overload: The overwhelming smell often triggers nausea or a metallic taste when inhaled up close, purely from the sheer strength of the sulfurous compounds meant to mimic decay.