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Glite Dictionary
aphid lion

aphid lion

8.8
A young insect that eats aphids and other small insects
  • noun
translation icon : león de los pulgones
  • The aphid lion devoured several pests on the rose bush in just a day.

Examples

  • You can easily spot an aphid lion by its slender, alligator-like body on leaves.

  • The aphid lion is a natural pest controller.

  • Gardeners encourage aphid lions to control aphid infestations without using chemicals.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the aphid lions in their plants.

  • Gardeners encourage aphid lions to control aphid infestations without using chemicals.

  • The aphid lion devoured several pests on the rose bush in just a day.

  • You can easily spot an aphid lion by its slender, alligator-like body on leaves.

Synonyms

aphis lion
vsaphid lion
  • Specialized
9.9

A young lacewing insect that eats aphids and other small insects

is the same meaning but is a different written form

Surface Forms

aphid lion singular
aphid lions plural

Morphology

aphid + lion

The compound pairs 'aphid' (a sap‑sucking insect) with 'lion' (a prototypical predator), so a learner who knows both words can plausibly infer this refers to an animal that preys on aphids. However, the specific reference to the lacewing larva is a language‑specific, taxonomic use of the predator metaphor rather than a fully compositional meaning, so prior exposure or world knowledge is needed.

Etymology

Aphid lion comes from the image of a small lion that hunts aphids. The young lacewing insect, the larva, looks like a tiny hunter and eats many aphids, so gardeners call it an 'aphid lion' because it helps control garden pests.