diamondback moth

noun

: a nearly cosmopolitan moth (Plutella xylostella of the family Plutellidae) whose larva is a pest on cruciferous plants

Examples of diamondback moth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Two other caterpillar pests of brassicas are the diamondback moth and the cabbage looper. Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 27 July 2024 In the case of the diamondback moth, Oxitec says that the nature of the modification, which precludes breeding, should serve to limit the spread of the GM moths, and pesticides and freezing winter conditions should take care of the rest. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2017 By injecting the immature egg cells with silkmoth, diamondback moth, and fruit fly DNA, Takeuchi and his colleagues spurred the frog eggs to produce those insects' olfactory receptors. Joseph Calamia, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2010 An invasive species, the diamondback moth originated in Europe, but has proved difficult to control since appearing the U.S. due to short gestation times and the large numbers of eggs females lay at once. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2017 RNAissance Ag is working on a spray that targets the diamondback moth, which has an insatiable appetite for cabbages and has already evolved some resistance to common pesticides. (old) Matt Reynolds, Wired, 8 Nov. 2021 Anthony Shelton, a professor of entomology at Cornell University, worked with Oxitec on the experimental release of the diamondback moth in 2017. Eric Niiler, Wired, 24 Sep. 2020 Scientists at Cornell University ran a study comparing Oxitec's diamondback moths with the real thing and to study their affect on a small moth population. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 29 Jan. 2020 The diamondback moth has also been resistant to pesticides, the more traditional approach to pest control. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 29 Jan. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of diamondback moth was in 1891

Dictionary Entries Near diamondback moth

Cite this Entry

“Diamondback moth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diamondback%20moth. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on diamondback moth

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!