It's May 14, the day when the bunch beetles return to Pangaea to migrate, and also eat all of the cider poppies that have been growing. But for some reason, they don't show up when expected. Ethyl mentions that they have never been late like this before. Four days later, the cider poppies are growing like crazy, into the inside of the Sinclair household. A bunch beetle, Stan, finally shows up. He tells the Sinclairs that he was traveling with other bunch beetles, but then halfway to the swamp, he remembered that he left the sink running, and is now lost. Earl tells him that he's supposed to eat the cider poppies, but Stan doesn't have time to eat because he has to go to the swamp, find a female, mate, and reproduce (he'll be dead in two weeks). They realize that it's the baby bunch beetles