browntail

9.9

A small brown and white moth that eats leaves and damages fruit and shade trees

noun

: polilla de cola marrón

The browntail is notorious for damaging apple and oak trees in New England.

Examples

Homeowners are concerned about browntail caterpillar infestations in the spring.
The browntail moth is known for its distinctive markings.
Experts warn that browntail moth populations are increasing this year.
Many trees have been affected by the browntail infestation.
Experts warn that browntail moth populations are increasing this year.
The browntail moth is notorious for damaging apple and oak trees in New England.
Homeowners are concerned about browntail caterpillar infestations in the spring.

Synonyms

brown-tail moth

vsbrowntail

8.8

A small brown and white moth whose caterpillars eat the leaves of fruit and shade trees

is the same but written without a hyphen

Euproctis chrysorrhoea

vsbrowntail

Specialized

9.9

A small white moth with a furry body and a yellow tail tuft that can cause skin irritation

emphasizes brown and white colouring and introduced pest status in North America

Surface Forms

browntail singular

browntails plural

Morphology

browntail = brown + tail (transparent) = brown + tail

The name is a straightforward descriptive compound: the moth is named for having a brown tail, so the meaning is directly derivable from 'brown' + 'tail'.

Etymology

The word browntail is made of brown and tail, which together mean 'brown tail' because the moth has a dark brown patch at the end of its body. So the name helps you remember this small brown-and-white moth that is a pest of shade and fruit trees.