Hey Cecil, I have a question that I’ve been bouncing around for the past few days. How do caterpillars have sex?
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“I think this question is worthy of Cecil as it: (1) comes from a questioner who is obviously dumber than a box of rocks, thus offering ample opportunities for ridicule; (2) features a question so incredibly ignorant that the Teeming Millions will instantly feel smug, thinking they know what the answer is; and (3) allows Cecil to puncture their bubble and explicate learnedly about such fascinating topics as paedomorphosis, neoteny, the repulsive axolotl, and why humans are like baby chimpanzees.”
George, I thought, you’ve got the job.
George concludes: “It’s possible that some species of bagworm are like gall midges in that the larvae eat their way out of their mother’s body, although other researchers say she dies first and the young just hatch from the long-cold corpse. They’re dispersed by birds that eat the case containing the female and her eggs; the eggs resist digestion, so when the birds crap them out in a distant location, they’re still able to hatch.” I’m telling you, if you want to make a big hit socially, invite an entomologist (or George) to your next dinner party. The conversation will never flag.
