Mexican jumping beans jump to safety in a dynamic world—light could influence how moth larvae avoid extreme heat

Oct 08, 2024

What makes Mexican jumping beans jump? New research from Binghamton University reveals that Mexican jumping bean larvae respond to different colors of light, jumping more vigorously under different hues, which can help them avoid potentially dangerous temperatures. However, when their 'bean' hosts are damaged, larvae find it much harder to jump away from stressors.