noun
definition
A usually nocturnal insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished from butterflies by feather-like antennae.
definition
Anything that gradually and silently eats, consumes, or wastes any other thing.
verb
definition
To hunt for moths.
Examples of moth in a Sentence
In a single season Aberdeenshire suffered nearly 90,000 worth of damage owing to the ravages of the diamond back moth on the root crops; in New York state the codling moth caused a loss of $3,000,000 to apple-growers.
The winter moth (Cheimatobia brumata) must be kept in check by putting greasy bands round the trunks from October till December or January, to catch the wingless females that crawl up and deposit their eggs in the cracks and crevices in the bark.
Some of those zoologists who look to Peripatus, or a similar worm-like form, as representing the direct ancestors of the Hexapoda have laid stress on a larva like the caterpillar of a moth or saw-fly as representing a primitive stage.
Another instance of mimicry affecting the larval form is supplied by the moth Endromis versicolor, the caterpillars of which resemble the inedible larvae of saw-flies.
Furs kept in such a condition are not only immune from the ravages of the larvae of moth, but all the natural oils in the pelt and fur are conserved, so that its colour and life are prolonged, and the natural deterioration is arrested.
In England moth life is practically continuous all the year round, that is, as regards those moths that attack furs, though the destructive element exists to a far greater extent during spring and summer.
The caterpillars of the leopard moth (Zeuzera pyrina) and of the goat moth (Cossus ligniperda) sometimes bore their way into the trunks and destroy the sap channels.
The early larval stage of the " Lobster Moth " (Stauropus fagi), for example, presents a general resemblance, due to a combination of shape, colour, attitude and movements, to black ants, the swollen head and the caudal disk with its two tentacles representing respectively the abdomen and antenna-bearing head of the model.
Sunlight has a tendency to bleach furs and to encourage the development of moth eggs, therefore continued exposure is to be avoided.
Moth & Butterfly Wing Scales Wing of a noctuid moth & Butterfly Wing Scales Wing of a noctuid moth (Noctuidae) showing how the ordinary surface wing scales lie in overlapping rows.
Some appeared empty while others…she stopped looking when she saw the fanged moth man.
Some appeared empty while others…she stopped looking when she saw the fanged moth man.
Gladys flitted back and forth, like a moth in a lamp shop, alternating with Dean for the hall phone, apparently conversing with an editor who was expressing interest in the lurid tales of Belfair of Draghow and her sexual mischief about the stars.
In some instances this moth has been found damaging leather bindings.
Facts Like silver birch, downy birch is a source of food for over 200 species of wildlife including several kinds of moth.
In summer look for the six-spot burnet, a day flying moth with bright red and green-black wings.
The larvae of these are usually spoken of as " false caterpillars," on account of their resemblance to the larvae of a moth.
There are over 25,000 ommatidia in the eye of a hawk moth.
The cotton worm (Aletia argillacea) - also called cotton caterpillar, cotton army worm, cotton-leaf worm - is also one stage in the life-history of a moth.
The insects complete their cocoons in from three to four days, and in two or three days thereafter the cocoons are collected, and the pupa killed to prevent its further progress and the bursting of the shell by the fully developed moth.
In April a single worm got oak-buds, on which it throve, and ultimately spun a cocoon whence a female moth issued, from which Guerin Meneville named and described the species.
The mezankoorie moth of the Assamese, Antheraea mezankooria, yields a valuable cocoon, as does also the Atlas moth, Attacus atlas, which has an omnivorous larva found throughout India, Ceylon, Burmah, China and Java.
The Cynthia moth, Attacus cynthia, is domesticated as a source of silk in certain provinces of China, where it feeds on the Ailanthus glandulosa.
The eria or arrindi moth of Bengal and Assam, Attacus ricini, which feeds on the castor-oil plant, yields seven generations yearly, forming loose flossy orange-red and sometimes white cocoons.
With two exceptions, these chickens that had learnt to associate black and yellow banding with a bitter taste also refused to touch the caterpillar of the cinnabar moth (Euchelia jacobaeae), which is banded with these colours.
The moth caterpillar includes Dock among its food plants.
The brown house moth is more destructive than the common clothes moth.
The number one museum insect pest worldwide is the webbing clothes moth.
Turks are excellent hunters and will track down and destroy the most persistent moth.
The god Mothra, a creature that looked like a cross between a giant moth and a bee, arrived on the scene and attacked Godzilla in a mythic battle that left audiences stunned as it appeared that Mothra was about to destroy Godzilla forever.
It is also alive with insects including orange-tip and meadow brown butterflies and five-spot burnet moth.
In the butterfly copse (near the Waterworks Road) (TQ 209 063) a Magpie Moth made a brief appearance.
Previously known as, er, Flux Ultra, then as Moth, and now as Flux Ultra again.
There are thirteen species of butterfly and six species of moth, including the common footman and the chimney sweeper.
This prevents granulation and kills wax moth larvae and eggs should any be present.
Peter Ward had seen a hummingbird hawk moth on North Marine Road back in June.
Sheltering from the rain in the hide at Ternery Pool yesterday (7th) was a humming bird hawk moth.
Clothes moth larvae are among the few insects able to digest the keratin of hairs and feathers.
Leek moth - Mainly a pest of leek moth - Mainly a pest of leeks and onions, the caterpillars of leek moth feed within the leaves.
The green and white striped larvae loop their backs as they move about and the insect is some-times known as the pine looper moth.
The mistletoe tortrix moth and the mistletoe tortrix moth and the mistletoe weevil were both discovered, new to Britain, from Herefordshire.
Martins ' forthcoming monograph will be published in June 2006 by The Moth House.
The speckled footman moth is scattered throughout Europe south to the Mediterranean and North Africa, and east to Siberia.
Clearly, we need to know more about the life history of the peppered moth.
This is the first report on these Nature Notes pages of a nocturnal native moth with a short flying time in July.
The Slender Scotch is the first burnet moth to emerge each year.
The orchard has many varieties of apple growing well, untroubled by the codling moth which is usually a major pest in this country.
Often to be seen at the right time of year is the caterpillar of the cinnabar moth feeding on the ragwort.
This day-flying moth was reported from a number of sites in our area.
The tortrix moth is a serious pest in some areas, yet rarely seen in some others.