Why Do Jumping Beans Jump ?
Jumping beans, also known as Mexican beans, are scientifically called Sebastiania palmeri or Sebastiania pavoniana. These beans are a native to Mexico and are known in Spanish as brincadores. These jumping beans look similar to small types of beans and are tan or brown colored. The reason they are called jumping beans is because they do jump. But the question is Why Do Jumping Beans Jump ?. |
Did you know that Mexican jumping beans are not just beans? They are the home of a moth that houses itself inside the bean until it can find its way out.
The jumping beans tend to jump due to the moth inside; when the moth tries to get out the bean keeps moving that appears to be jumping. How does a moth find its way into a bean? Mexican jumping beans are found in some parts of Mexico and not everywhere; the term Brincador means hopper in Spanish. During springtime the female moths lays eggs on the flowers that have bloomed on the Sebastiana pavoniana tree. After about several weeks these eggs hatch into larvae, and the larvae begin to feed on the pods of the bean. The hard casing of the pod hardens further as days pass and the larvae become moths by feeding on the insides of the bean.
During the rainy season these beans fall to the ground and the moths inside start jumping around to move away from the sunlight to a cooler place where they hibernate by spinning a cocoon inside the bean. After some more time, the moths come out of the bean through a small hole.
More Articles :
|
