waxworm
6.0
A soft caterpillar often fed to reptiles and birds or used in science
- noun
- /ˈwæksˌwɜrm/
:
gusano de cera
- crickets and waxworms
Examples
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Turns out that two enzymes found in waxworm saliva are capable of breaking down plastics.
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Aquarists often feed their reptiles waxworms for added protein.
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In scientific research, waxworms are commonly used to study the effects of various substances.
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Bird breeders frequently use waxworms as a nutritious treat for their pet birds.
Synonyms
9.9
A moth whose caterpillars live in beehives and eat honeycomb, often damaging hives
refers specifically to the larval stage used for pet food and research
Surface Forms
Etymology
Waxworm is a simple combination of wax ('beeswax') and worm ('young insect'). It was named for the soft caterpillar that eats wax in beehives, so today a waxworm means the young caterpillar of a wax moth, often used to feed pet reptiles and birds or found in honeycombs.
