With my recently reported instance of bald brood, I may have learned
something of pupal development: the pupae are all lined up, that is to say,
within the cells, you find them all belly down. They are not in random
positions. They also all have their tongues sticking way out, but not
out towards the capping, rather out towards their thorax. To get a better
idea of what I mean, imagine you were reaching for your belly button
with your tongue. Your head would be bent, chin down.
 
Since they are lying in their cells belly down, their tongue is the
lowest part of the body. It seems as if there's food in the cell, which
due to gravity, is found down below the pupa's feet. The pupa would
thus, if properly positioned to start with, only need to stick her
tongue out and find the food.
 
I don't know whether it's true, but it seems plausible that the pupae
are lined up just so it's easier to reach the food. Can anyone confirm
this?
 
 
Conrad Sigona
[log in to unmask]