Botling

/ˈbɒtlɪŋ/ noun

Definition

A young or immature bot fly larva, or a small larval stage organism.

Etymology

Diminutive form of 'bot' (parasitic fly larva) plus suffix '-ling' (Old English), indicating a smaller or younger version.

Kelly Says

Botlings in horses were a genuine historical problem—ranchers didn't understand that the itchy warbles under a horse's skin were living larvae that would eventually drop out and pupate in the soil.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.