tussock moth

noun

any of several moths of the family Lymantriidae, the larvae of which have characteristic tufts of hair on the body and feed on the leaves of various deciduous trees.

Origin of tussock moth

First recorded in 1820–30

Words Nearby tussock moth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tussock moth in a sentence

Among these pests, the most important to the dweller in a large city is the tussock moth, which destroys our shade trees.
A Civic Biology | George William Hunter
As outdoor work, look for the egg masses on trees and fences and devise means of combating the tussock-moth.
Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature Study | Ontario Ministry of Education
These are the white-marked tussock moth, the rusty tussock moth, and the definite-marked tussock moth.
The Pears of New York | U. P. Hedrick

British Dictionary definitions for tussock moth

tussock moth

noun

any of various pale or dull-coloured moths of the family Lymantriidae (or Laparidae), the hairy caterpillars of which are pests of many trees: See also gipsy moth, brown-tail moth, goldtail moth

Origin of tussock moth

C19: so named because of the tufts of hair on the caterpillars

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

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