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processionary moth

British  

noun

  1. a moth of the family Thaumetopoeidae, esp the oak processionary moth ( Thaumetopoea processionea ), the larvae of which leave the communal shelter nightly for food in a V-shaped procession

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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For example, the oak processionary moth, whose caterpillars infest oak trees, thrive in these shorter cold spells making the oaks more vulnerable to attack from other parasites, he says.

From BBC

Do you know an Asian hornet or an oak processionary moth caterpillar when you see one?

From BBC

Oak processionary moth caterpillars, named after the nose-to-tail processions they form to travel between the oak trees they devour, have fine, long hairs with an irritating toxin that can cause blistering rashes, feverish dizzy spells and asthma attacks.

From The Guardian

Oak processionary moth caterpillars begin to pupate in early July, but the threat posed by their nests remains.

From The Guardian

Caterpillars of the oak processionary moth invaded London’s parks this spring.

From Scientific American