gypsy moth

noun

1. a moth, Porthetria dispar, introduced into the U.S. from Europe, the larvae of which feed on the foliage of shade and other trees.

gypsy moth

noun

1. a variant spelling of gipsy moth

Word History and Origins

Origin of gypsy moth¹

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

Heat-treating wood, for example, can also help ward off the gypsy moth, spotted lanternfly and the Asian long-horned beetle, Tamm said.

From Los Angeles Times

Washington has had success over the past five decades in detecting and eradicating the pests — formerly known as gypsy moths.

From Seattle Times

The gypsy moth was renamed the spongy moth by the Entomological Society of America last year, and the former Hottentot Teal, a duck, was renamed the Blue-Billed Teal by the American Ornithological Society.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2022, for instance, the Entomological Society of America adopted spongy moth for the invasive moth Lymantria dispar, getting rid of gypsy moth.

From Science Magazine

This spring, I was finally introduced to its very hungry caterpillars, the larval stage of the insect formerly known as the gypsy moth before it was renamed this year.

From Seattle Times