About two weeks ago, my son and I had this exchange while he was cracking open acorns outside.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Avery: I found a baby!
Me: What?
Avery: I found a baby inside one.
Me: (looking at the acorn) That’s just the nut.
Avery: (setting the acorn half on the coffee table) But I found something little in there.
Me: Let me see it.
I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but figured that if I took another look, I’d be able to explain what it was. Sure enough, there was a larva of some sort curled up in the “meat” of the acorn.
Me: You’re right. That’s a larva.
Avery: A what?
Me: A baby insect. Take it outside.
Avery: What does it do?
Me: It grows into a bug. I don’t want it in the house. Take it outside.
He proceeds to take it outside, but mutters something I couldn’t quite make out. When he comes back in, I ask him about it.
Avery: Oh, I was putting some grass on the Martha.
Me: The what?
Avery: The Martha, or whatever it’s called.
Me: Oh. The LARVA.
Avery: Yeah. The larva.
