How to Keep Mexican Jumping Beans Dormant
Mexican jumping beans are one of nature's more interesting "toys." These items aren't actually beans at all, but seed pods with moth larvae inside. These "beans" are created when the Laspeyresia saltitans moth lays eggs that burrow inside the pods of the Mexican shrub Sebastiana pavoniana, according to online natural history newsletter Wayne's Word.com. As the larva grows, it moves from side to side, making the pod "jump." To keep these pods dormant, you must take steps to keep the larvae quiet. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Keep your beans cool. They react to warmth and will be still in cooler areas. Store them in a drawer in the refrigerator to keep them dormant. This cool storage also keeps them alive longer--up to three months, according to My Pet Beans.com.
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Keep your Mexican jumping beans in the dark. Store them in a drawer or closet when you're not using them, as the larvae react to light.
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Care for your Mexican jumping beans even when you're not actively playing with them. They are live animals that need water. Spray them lightly once a week with water, making sure to gently dry the bean after five minutes.
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Tips & Warnings
Heating or freezing will kill the larvae in the jumping beans.
You may want to put your bean inside a small butterfly house or place outdoors when it has not moved for several weeks. The Laspeyresia saltitans moth emerges from the seed pod in six months. It is considered harmless and will die when it does not find its preferred host shrub, notes Wayne's Word.
