Mexican jumping bean moth
insect
Also known as: Laspeyresia saltitans
Quick Summary
The Mexican jumping bean is not a seed itself, but rather the seed of certain Mexican shrubs, primarily from the Sebastiania genus. Inside these seeds live the larvae of a small moth, Laspeyresia salitans.123
These larvae feed on the pulp within the seed. Their movements, which are amplified by warmth, cause the seed to jump and tumble. This phenomenon is what gives the Mexican jumping bean its name. The moth belongs to the olethreutid family, which includes other species with destructive larvae.123
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