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Glite Dictionary
Trichophaga tapetzella

Trichophaga tapetzella

9.9
A small moth whose caterpillars eat carpets and other wool items
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Trichophaga tapetzella
  • Pest control experts identified the culprit as Trichophaga tapetzella, commonly known as the carpet moth.

Examples

  • Damage to the rug was traced back to an infestation of Trichophaga tapetzella larvae.

  • Textiles stored in humid environments are especially vulnerable to Trichophaga tapetzella infestations.

  • The Trichophaga tapetzella is notorious for damaging carpets.

  • Many homeowners are concerned about Trichophaga tapetzella infestations.

  • Pest control experts identified the culprit as Trichophaga tapetzella, commonly known as the carpet moth.

  • Damage to the rug was traced back to an infestation of Trichophaga tapetzella larvae.

  • Textiles stored in humid environments are especially vulnerable to Trichophaga tapetzella infestations.

Synonyms

carpet moth
vsTrichophaga tapetzella
7.6

A small moth whose young eat wool carpets and make holes

is the scientific species name for that common insect
tapestry moth
vsTrichophaga tapetzella
9.1

A small moth whose young eat carpets and other wool items

focuses mainly on floor coverings rather than varied household textiles

Surface Forms

Trichophaga tapetzella singular
Trichophaga tapetzellas plural

Morphology

Trichophaga + tapetzella

This is a Linnaean binomial: a learner who knows 'Trichophaga' (a genus of moths) can transparently infer the phrase denotes a species of that moth genus, so the basic category (a moth) is derivable. However, the specific epithet 'tapetzella' is not interpretable to a B1 learner (no dictionary meaning) and the specialised sense 'feeds on carpets' cannot be deduced from the parts, making the overall meaning only partly predictable.

Etymology

Trichophaga tapetzella may come from old word parts tricho- ('hair') and -phaga ('eater') plus tapetzella from a word for 'tapestry' or 'carpet'. That picture of a small moth whose larvae eat hair, wool and carpets explains why it is called the 'carpet moth' today.