woolly adelgid

noun

woolly adel·​gid -ə-ˈdel-jəd How to pronounce woolly adelgid (audio)
: either of two aphids (genus Adelges) with a white woolly coating that have been accidentally introduced into North America:
a
: one (A. piceae) native to Europe that is a serious pest of fir trees
b
: one (A. tsugae) native to Asia that is a serious pest of hemlocks

Examples of woolly adelgid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This is the fifth time the balsam woolly adelgid has been found in the state since it was first detected in 2021. Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 23 Apr. 2026 Through her inspections over the years, Turner has also intercepted species that haven't infiltrated Indiana yet, like hemlock woolly adelgid, an aggressive bug devastating North American hemlock trees in the eastern United States. Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025 Eventually scientists determined that a sap-sucking insect called the woolly adelgid was causing the trees to lose their needles. Robert Sullivan, Curbed, 9 June 2025 Be able to identify eastern hemlock trees and hemlock woolly adelgid. Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 13 May 2024 Hemlock woolly adelgid threatens ecologically important hemlock trees Another invasive insect likely on its way to Wisconsin is the hemlock woolly adelgid. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2023 Researchers simulated the arrival of the invasive Asian woolly adelgid bug by deliberately killing hemlock trees in 6.5 hectares of the forest. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2015

Word History

Etymology

adelgid ultimately from New Latin Adelges, probably irregular from Greek adēlos unseen

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of woolly adelgid was in 1987

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Woolly adelgid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woolly%20adelgid. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster