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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
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
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Word History
First Known Use
1891, in the meaning defined above
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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
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diamondback moth
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