moth Hear it!

moth Definition

moth (môt̸h)

noun pl. mothsmôt̸hz, môt̸hs

  1. any of various families of chiefly night-flying lepidopteran insects, similar to the butterflies but generally smaller, less brightly colored, and not having the antennae knobbed
  2. clothes moth

Etymology: ME motthe < OE moththe, akin to Ger motte < IE base *math-, gnawing vermin

moth Synonyms

moth

n.

miller, tineid, Heterocera (Latin); see insect.

Mothlike creatures include: carpet beetle, dermestid beetle, silkworm, gypsy, clothes, honeycomb, death's head, buffalo, lappet, luna, emperor, harlequin, deltoid, cabbage, tiger, lackey, ermine, plume.

moth Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • day-flying: These in turn produce the number and variety of butterflies and day-flying moths which are such a feature of the reserve in summer.
  • speckle: The speckled footman moth is scattered throughout Europe south to the Mediterranean and North Africa, and east to Siberia.
  • pepper: Clearly, we need to know more about the life history of the peppered moth.

Adjective modifier

  • pyralid: A late example of the pyralid moth Orthopygia glaucinalis was at the security lights.
  • day-flying: Normally these day-flying moths are encountered hovering at flowers - they don't alight to feed.
  • noctuid: Moth & Butterfly Wing Scales Wing of a noctuid moth ( Noctuidae ) showing how the ordinary surface wing scales lie in overlapping rows.
  • nocturnal: This is the first report on these Nature Notes pages of a nocturnal native moth with a short flying time in July.
  • scarce: Brimstone and White Admiral butterflies are frequent in this reserve, which also hosts a number of scarce moths.

Modifies a noun

  • caterpillar: Look out for round holes in tree trunks and sawdust, left by feeding goat moth caterpillars.
  • trap: We have a moth trap, which you are welcome to use, or watch being used, in our garden.
  • larva: For the last two years I have noticed Vapourer moth larvae in a small willow bush in front of the house.
  • traps: We will begin with a slide show and then set up various moth traps and see what they attract.
  • trapper: These lists were prepared a number of years ago by Ian Rippey, as a helpful guide for moth trappers.
  • infestation: Unfortunately, most of the pines were destroyed in 1992 by moth infestation.

Noun used with modifier

  • burnet: The Slender Scotch is the first burnet moth to emerge each year.
  • codling: The orchard has many varieties of apple growing well, untroubled by the codling moth which is usually a major pest in this country.
  • cinnabar: Often to be seen at the right time of year is the caterpillar of the cinnabar moth feeding on the ragwort.
  • day-flying: This day-flying moth was reported from a number of sites in our area.
  • tortrix: The tortrix moth is a serious pest in some areas, yet rarely seen in some others.
  • diamondback: One particularly severe pest, which is found throughout tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions, is the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella.