Robert Jenny, age 8 of New Orleans, LA., for his question:

What makes a Jumping bean jump?

Andy says that the most important job of a mother moth is to find a suitable place to lay her eggs. They need peace and quiet and safety from birdsi insects and other hungry and curious creatures.  Above all, they need to hatch near a supply of their favorite food. Moths and butterflies always put their eggs where the newly hatched babies will find plenty of their favorite food,

A certain grey moth chooses a shrub which grows in the swampy areas of our southern states and Mexico. When the shrub is in bloom she lays each of leer eggs into a flower, The little grub, or caterpillars hatches from the egg as the flower fades and develops into a bean pod. Cuddled up inside the bean, it eats and grows. The bean is its house and its food supply.

Most of the time, the little grub just oats, eats, eats and doses. But once in a while it needs some exercise, it needs to stretch its back. There is no way to go for a flight for it can’t get out of its bean pantry, So it coils up and uncoils with a jerk. And the jerk is strong enough to jump the bean. In every jumping bean there is a little grub. And every time the bean jumps, the little grub is doing his setting up exercises.