Stuff I think about at 3 in the Morning

I didn't sleep well last night. I was up at midnight then again at 3am. For some abstract reason; at 3am while trying to go back to sleep, the question entered my mind: "What makes Mexican Jumping Beans jump?"

I remember how popular they use to be in the 60s when I was just a little tike. Kids use to bring them to school in those plastic see-thru cases. (see pic) Then (if they trusted you)let you hold it in your hand while the bean started jumping around in your hand. Now my thought last night was not nearly as mysterious as it was umpteen years ago. I knew that legumes weren't animated. (until they hit your colon) So I approached it from a purely entomological standpoint or POV. (you see how serious this got?)

I knew it had something to do with an insect. MY FIRST GUESS (well only guess as google was much faster than my 3 brain cells at the time) was that it was some sort of "Spanish Flea" trapped inside. Yeah because those beans use to jump like fleas.

Close but no cigar.

Of all things, they're called Jumping Bean Moths. Or the actual larva before the moth is born. Check it out: