ScienceSeptember 1, 2026
geometer
jee-OM-ih-ter
Definition
A type of moth whose larvae are known as inchworms, which move by arching their bodies in a measuring motion.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'geometres,' meaning 'earth-measurer,' referring to the way the larvae appear to measure the ground as they crawl.
In the news
The article uses the term to identify the specific moth species whose larvae, known as inchworms, were stripping Brooklyn's shade trees in the 1800s.
In 1852 the Brooklyn Institute released eight pairs of house sparrows to eat the caterpillars stripping the borough's shade trees, and topped the colony up with more birds from England the next year; the sparrows mostly ignored the caterpillars — they eat grain
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