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.
Recent Examples of insectivoreMoreover, in every case, the ancestors were either insectivores or carnivores, with insect-eaters making the shift about three times more often than carnivores.—Rupendra Brahambhatt, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2025 Belonging to the same group of mammals as sloths and anteaters, armadillos are voracious insectivores that eat large numbers of beetles, grubs, ants, termites, and other insects, grabbing them with their sticky tongues.—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 July 2025 The lemurs and tenrecs of Madagascar, for example, are descended from primates and insectivores that used to be much more widespread.—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025 This tiny insectivore has an exceptionally fast metabolism, demanding near-constant feeding to survive.—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 2025 Among the species declines that have led to billions fewer birds in North America over the last half-century, grassland birds and aerial insectivores have been hit especially hard, having lost many bugs that once fed them.—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 22 Sep. 2024
Card-carrying herbivores, seed-eaters, and omnivores switched to a cicada-heavy diet during a brood emergence in Washington, D.C., in 2021, according to Martha Weiss, a professor of biology at George Washington University.
—
Sarah Henry,
The Courier-Journal,
8 July 2025
But slugs can be beneficial omnivores that feed on algae, fungi, decomposing organic matter and plants.
—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 July 2025
And yet, the characteristics of these creatures are reflective of their respective cultures (Chinese dragons are often associated with rain and water).
—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Aside from the thrill of knowing such a magnificent creature lives literally with us, usually in peaceful co-existence, perhaps sets an example of how humans should behave.
These critters typically live outside, feeding on fungi, pollen, algae or decaying organic matter, often on or in the soil, according to the University of Minnesota.
After stepping through a giant wooden door, tall grass teems with wild Pokémon, adorable critters strike charming poses and battles break out between fierce opponents.
Money speaks, the land listens, where the Anarchist skulked, where the horsethief plied his trade, we fishers of Americans will cast our nets of perfect ten-acre mesh, leveled and varmint-proofed, ready to build on.
—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Oct. 2025
Another disadvantage: Adding banana peels directly to the soil may attract unwelcome varmints.
—
Marin Independent Journal,
The Mercury News,
14 Feb. 2025
Detroit seniors have long raised concerns about poor rental housing conditions from mold infestation and vermin to lack of heat and inadequate security measures.
—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
27 Jan. 2026
The tiny hayloft would later become infested with lice and vermin.