bee moth
- noun
- /bi mɔθ/
:
polilla de las abejas
- Larvae of the bee moth tunnel through wax and honeycomb, weakening the colony's structure.
Examples
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The bee moth is a common threat to commercial apiaries, damaging the honeycombs of domesticated hives.
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The bee moth is a common pest in beehives.
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Beekeepers must inspect their hives regularly to check for signs of infestation by the bee moth.
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Have you seen a bee moth near your hives?
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The bee moth can cause significant damage to beehives as its larvae feed on the honeycomb.
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Beekeepers must be vigilant for signs of a bee moth infestation in their hives.
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After spotting a bee moth, I quickly checked my beehive to ensure it was not being harmed.
Synonyms
A moth whose young caterpillars eat the honeycomb in beehives and damage bee colonies
A moth whose caterpillars live in beehives and eat honeycomb, often damaging hives
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'bee moth' is compositionally transparent: a B1 learner who knows 'bee' and 'moth' will reasonably infer it is a moth associated with bees (e.g. one that lives in or affects beehives). This modifier+noun pattern is cross-linguistically common and directly signals a relationship, so the specific pest/hive association is predictable from the constituents.
Etymology
Bee moth is named because the moth lives in bee hives: its young caterpillars live inside the honeycomb and eat the wax and honey. That's why the name refers to a small moth whose young live in beehives and are a 'pest'.
