Ross Marvin, age 8, of Dayton, Ohio, for his question:

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MEASURING WORM?

A measuring worm becomes a delicate, butterflylike moth. It develops in a cocoon or in a cell in the ground.  A measuring worm is a green or brown caterpillar that crawls by looping its body. It humps the middle of its body, pulling the rear  part close to the front part. Then it pushes the front part of its body forward to its full length and starts the process again.

Looper or inch worm are other names for the measuring worm. The omnivorous looper is one of the best known measuring worms in North America. It can hold itself straight out from a branch so that it looks like a small twig.

Some members of the measuring worm family, such as the cankerworm, are serious pests. If they become numerous, they can completely strip the leaves from trees. Sometimes farmers are forced to use poison sprays to help control them.