frass

[ fras ]

noun

1. insect excrement.

frass

/ fræs /

noun

1. excrement or other refuse left by insects and insect larvae

Word History and Origins

Origin of frass¹

1850–55; originally, the refuse and excrement of boring or leaf-eating insects < German Frass insect damage, corrosion, noun from base of fressen to eat (of animals); fress, fret ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of frass¹

C19: from German, from fressen to devour

Example Sentences

The goal for Mr. Mendoza and his collaborators was to investigate whether frass and the bugs that created it might someday help astronauts grow food and manage waste on Mars.

From New York Times

Black soldier fly larvae could consume astronauts’ organic waste and process it into frass, which could be used as fertilizer to coax plants out of alien soil.

From New York Times

To that simulated regolith, Mr. Mendoza had added fertilizer called frass — the waste left after black soldier fly larvae are finished eating and digesting.

From New York Times

One example is the skipper caterpillar, which can shoot solid pellets of its waste, known as frass, over a distance up to 38 times its body length to keep predators off its tail.

From Scientific American

In Malaysia, Nutrition Technologies produces "soil conditioner" from frass - the waste and skin of Black Soldier Fly larvae.

From Reuters