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Glite Dictionary
alderfly

alderfly

9.9
A dark insect that lives near water whose young live in water and eat small insects
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : mosca de aliso
  • The aquatic larvae of the alderfly are fierce predators of smaller insects.

Examples

  • The alderfly is commonly found resting near streams and rivers during the spring.

  • Fishermen often use alderfly larvae as bait for catching trout.

  • The alderfly is often found near streams.

  • A group of alderflies was spotted by the river.

  • Fishermen often use alderfly larvae as bait for catching trout.

  • The alderfly is commonly found resting near streams and rivers during the spring.

  • The aquatic larvae of the alderfly are fierce predators of smaller insects.

Synonyms

alder fly
vsalderfly
9.9

A dark insect whose young live in water and eat other small animals

specifies it lives near water in Europe and North America
Sialis lutaria
vsalderfly
  • Specialized
9.9

A dark insect called an alderfly whose young live and hunt in fresh water

is the broader common term covering that species and similar ones
Sialis
vsalderfly
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of insects called alderflies that live near water

is one specific insect found near water in Europe and North America

Surface Forms

alderfly singular
alderflies plural

Morphology

alderfly = alder + fly (transparent) = alder + fly

A straightforward compound of 'alder' + 'fly' denoting an insect associated with alder trees, so the relation is clear to learners who know the components.

Etymology

The word alderfly comes from alder 'a tree that grows by water' and fly 'a small winged insect'. That's why an alderfly is the dark insect you often see on alder trees and near streams, and why its young live in the water.