insectivore
noun
in·sec·ti·vore
in-ˈsek-tə-ˌvȯr 
1
: any of an order (Insectivora) of small usually nocturnal mammals (such as moles, shrews, and hedgehogs) that feed mainly on insects
2
: an insectivorous plant or animal
Examples of insectivore in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
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 Sep. 2024
These gregarious insectivores existed only in a hectare of mossy wetlands near the waterfalls of the Kihansi River, soaking up the high humidity from the constant mist.
—Byerik Stokstad, science.org, 31 July 2024
These flying insectivores winter in South America and travel 7,000 miles to nest, including in Michigan.
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 28 Mar. 2024
Most bats are insectivores that eat mosquitoes and other agricultural pests, or act as pollinators and seed spreaders.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2023
This year, Handa said there was a potential delay in insect production due to sustaining cooler temperatures, which could have an impact on the breeding schedule of insectivores, the birds that eat bugs.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2023
The specific patterns, and the earliest mammals' relatively small size, are reminiscent of modern small insectivores—which use quick bites and a dental tool kit of puncturing and crushing teeth to bust through arthropod carapaces.
—Riley Black, Scientific American, 28 June 2023
The teeth and size of the new reptile line up with the idea that Opisthiamimus was an insectivore says Harvard University paleontologist Tiago Simões, who was not involved in the new study.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022
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Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 22 Sep. 2024
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 Sep. 2024
These gregarious insectivores existed only in a hectare of mossy wetlands near the waterfalls of the Kihansi River, soaking up the high humidity from the constant mist.
—Byerik Stokstad, science.org, 31 July 2024
These flying insectivores winter in South America and travel 7,000 miles to nest, including in Michigan.
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 28 Mar. 2024
Most bats are insectivores that eat mosquitoes and other agricultural pests, or act as pollinators and seed spreaders.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2023
This year, Handa said there was a potential delay in insect production due to sustaining cooler temperatures, which could have an impact on the breeding schedule of insectivores, the birds that eat bugs.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2023
The specific patterns, and the earliest mammals' relatively small size, are reminiscent of modern small insectivores—which use quick bites and a dental tool kit of puncturing and crushing teeth to bust through arthropod carapaces.
—Riley Black, Scientific American, 28 June 2023
The teeth and size of the new reptile line up with the idea that Opisthiamimus was an insectivore says Harvard University paleontologist Tiago Simões, who was not involved in the new study.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022
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Cite this Entry
“Insectivore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insectivore. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
insectivore
noun
in·sec·ti·vore
in-ˈsek-tə-ˌvō(ə)r
-ˌvȯ(ə)r
1
: any of an order of small mammals (as the moles, shrews, and hedgehogs) that are mostly insect-eating and active at night
2
: an insect-eating plant or animal
Medical Definition
insectivore
noun
in·sec·ti·vore
in-ˈsek-tə-ˌvō(ə)r, -ˌvȯ(ə)r
1
: any mammal of the order Insectivora
2
: an insectivorous plant or animal
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