Breaking news from the Free-Ride silkworm colony.

About half of the Free-Ride silkworms (who you know from pictures and videos) have decided that it's time to pupate.

Of course, we immediately broke out the video camera. But, then the truth started to dawn on us.

It takes a good while for a silkworm to make a cocoon. The ones that seem ready started almost 24 hours ago, and we're only now starting to see convincing signs that there will be cocoons soon.

Because, having never made cocoons before, the silkworms kind of flail around for awhile, spinning silk and trying to stick it to surfaces it won't stick to, then tumbling down, then trying it again.

Meanwhile, Dr. Free-Ride's better half stood over them kibbitzing. "No, not there! Don't do that! You're about to wreck all your hard work!"

You'd think Dr. Free-Ride's better half had successfully made many cocoons. To my knowledge, Dr. Free-Ride's better half has made no cocoons -- same as the silkworms.

There comes a time when you have to let go, and let your silkworms spin their own cocoons. Maybe they won't make them just the way you would make them, but when they're ready, they'll manage it fine.

When we have some convincing cocoons to tell you about, we will.