wood moth

noun

: a moth with a larva that bores in wood: such as
a
: any of various moths of the family Cossidae
b
: any of various dull heavy-bodied moths of the family Zeuzeridae
especially : an Australian moth (Xyleutes boisduvali) with narrow brownish wings heavily covered with gray scales and having a span of up to 10 inches in the larger female, a large cylindrical abdomen, and a 6 to 7 inch larva that bores in various eucalypts and is considered a delicacy by the aborigines

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Cite this Entry

“Wood moth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wood%20moth. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

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