webworm moth
- noun
- /ˈwɛbˌwɜrm mɔθ/
:
polilla de oruga de telaraña
- The webworm moth is known for the distinctive webbing its caterpillars create on branches.
Examples
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Farmers often battle infestations of webworm moths to protect their crops.
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The leaves of the trees were covered with webs made by webworm moths in late summer.
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The webworm moth is often found in gardens.
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Many webworm moths can damage crops if left unchecked.
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Farmers often battle infestations of webworm moths to protect their crops.
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The webworm moth is known for the distinctive webbing its caterpillars create on branches.
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The leaves of the trees were covered with webs made by webworm moths in late summer.
Synonyms
A moth whose caterpillars make silky webs on tree branches
A group of moths whose caterpillars make large silk webs on trees in late summer
A small moth that makes silk shelters on plants to live and protect its eggs
An insect whose caterpillars spin large silk tents in trees
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is a straightforward composition of 'webworm' (a caterpillar that creates webs) and 'moth' — i.e. a moth species whose larvae are webworms. This follows a regular noun+noun compounding pattern in English, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can derive the meaning directly.
Etymology
Webworm moth comes from the caterpillar's habit of making a silk web and living inside it while it eats leaves, so the insect looks like a 'worm' in a web. That's why the name now refers to a moth whose caterpillars spin webs and eat the leaves inside them.
