larva

From Latin larva (“ghost-like, masked”).


apollo

From the name of the Greek god of beauty, Apollo, from Ancient Greek Ἀπόλλων (Apóllōn).

Parnassius apollo
Wikispecies:Parnassius apollo

Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo, a large swallowtail with black and red spots on white wings)


vespa

Coordinate term: lambretta

(motorcycling) Alternative letter-case form of Vespa; motor scooter


formica

From Latin formīca, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *morwi. Cognates include Ancient Greek μύρμηξ (múrmēx).


zanzara

From Late Latin zinzala, of imitative origin.

Ho ucciso la zanzara.


mosca

it-noun

mosca f (plural mosche, diminutive moschétta or moschìna or moschìno m or moschettìna, augmentative moscóna, pejorative moscàccia)

mosche (plural)
moschétta (diminutive)
moschìna (diminutive)
moschìno (diminutive masculine)
moschettìna (diminutive)
moscóna (augmentative)
moscàccia (pejorative)

From Latin musca, from a Proto-Indo-European root *mus-, *mu-, *mew-. Compare Spanish mosca.

(by extension, figurative):
soul patch (narrow beard)

(in the plural) Black spots on a horse's coat.

(nautical, historical) aviso, advice boat


termite

termite (white-bodied, wood-consuming insect)


zecca

→ English: zecchin

→ French: sequin

→ English: sequin

→ Maltese: zekka

Borrowed from Arabic سِكَّة (sikka, “die for coining, coin”).


zecca

Borrowed from Lombardic zekka. Compare German Zecke, Dutch teek, English tick, Sicilian zicca.


immagine

it-noun

immagine f (plural immagini, diminutive immaginina or immaginétta, pejorative immaginùccia)

immagini (plural)
immaginina (diminutive)
immaginétta (diminutive)
immaginùccia (pejorative)

From Latin imāginem (“image, imitation”), from Proto-Italic *imā (“copy”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eym- (“copy”). Doublet of imago, and also the now-archaic mania.


grillo

From Latin gryllus, from Ancient Greek γρύλλος (grúllos).

shackle (U-shaped piece of metal secured with a pin or bolt across the opening)


ragno

From Latin arāneus (“spider”), related to arānea (“spider”).

(film) a tripod on which a camera is placed

(numismatics) an unidentified Venetian coin of the late Renaissance

a type of ladle used to scoop up fried foods


farfalla

Perhaps from Old Italian parpaglione, from Latin papiliō (“butterfly”). Compare Old French paveillon, Catalan papalló, Provençal parpalhos, Lombardic parpaja. The f is difficult to account for, though it might be due to the Tuscan gorgia.
Alternatively, from the dialectal Arabic word in Maltese farfett, Tunisian Arabic فرططو/فرفطو (farṭaṭṭu/farfaṭṭu), which is from Berber; compare Kabyle aferṭeṭṭu (“butterfly, moth”). Forms with a second -f- are apparently attested within Berber as well, but are at any rate explainable. For the -ll-, the Arabic emphatic [tˤ] could easily have been interpreted by southern Italians as their retroflex [ɖ] and then replaced with the cognate [l] as the word moved northwards (compare Sicilian beddu versus Italian bello).


scarabeo

From Latin scarabaeus, from Ancient Greek κάραβος (kárabos, “beetle”).


scarafaggio

Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch
it:scarafaggio

For Vulgar Latin *scarafaius (cf. 10th c. glosses scarafagius), a local, perhaps Oscanized variant of Latin scarabaeus (“scarab, dung beetle”), of uncertain origin. This variant is also reflected by several Provencal forms. Compare Sicilian scravagghiu.


baco da seta

From the nouns baco (“worm”) and seta (“silk”), with the preposition da.


tafano

From Vulgar Latin *tafānus, from Latin tabānus (“gadfly, horsefly”).

(figurative, by extension) gadfly (one who upsets the status quo)


coccinella

From the scientific Latin genus name Coccinella, from coccinus.


granchio

From a Late Latin or Vulgar Latin cancrulus or *cranc(u)lus (following metathesis and syncopation), diminutive of Latin cancer, or from the accusative form cancrum through an intermediate Vulgar Latin form *cranclu or *crancru. The Latin derives from Proto-Italic *kankros, dissimilation of *karkros (“enclosure”) (because the pincers of a crab form a circle), from Proto-Indo-European *kr-kr- (“circular”), reduplication of *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”). See also the doublet cancro (“cancer”).


pidocchio

From Late Latin peduclus, contracted form of peduculus, variant of Latin pēdīculus, diminutive of pēdis (“louse”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pezd-. Compare Sicilian pidicchiu.


calabrone

Possibly from a Vulgar Latin form *carabriōnem, from Latin crābrōnem, from Proto-Italic *krāzrō, from a Proto-Indo-European form *krH-s-r-o, from the root *ḱerh₂- (“head”).


maggiolino

From maggio (“May”) + -ino. Compare English May bug, Dutch meikever, German Maikäfer, Russian ма́йский жук (májskij žuk).

cog

ма́йский жук


pulce

From Latin pūlicem, from Proto-Indo-European *plúsis (“flea”).


bombo

Onomatopoeic, from Latin bombum, from bombus (“buzz, humming sound”).


rancio

Borrowed from Spanish rancho. Doublet of ranch and rancho.

(military) each of the main meals given out to soldiers daily


gamberetto

From gambero (“prawn”) + -etto (diminutive suffix).


gambero

→ Arabic: قَمْبَرِيّ (qambariyy)

→ Hijazi Arabic: قَمْبَري (gambari)

→ Tunisian Arabic: ڨمبري (gumbri)

From Vulgar Latin gambarus, from Latin gammarus, cammarus, from Ancient Greek κάμμαρος (kámmaros).


aragosta

From earlier aligusta, most likely from Latin locusta (probably through a Vulgar Latin form lacusta), with partial concretion or agglutination and false deglutination of the preceding article. Compare the borrowed doublet locusta.


formicaio

From formica + -aio, possibly corresponding to a Vulgar Latin *formīcārium, from Latin formīca. Compare Spanish hormiguero, Portuguese formigueiro, Friulian furmiâr, Romanian furnicar, Catalan formiguer.

(figurative) any place full of activity, or in which people are very busy; beehive


acaro

From Latin acarus, from Ancient Greek ἄκαρι (ákari, “cheese mite, tick”), from ἀκαρής (akarḗs, “tiny”).


millepiedi

Univerbation of mille (“a thousand”) + piedi (“feet”). Compare also centopiedi.


mantide

From Ancient Greek μάντις (mántis, “soothsayer”).


astice

Borrowed from Latin astacī, plural of astacus, from Ancient Greek ἀστακός (astakós).

Synonym of gambero di mare (“European lobster”)


locusta

Borrowed from Latin locusta, of uncertain origin. Doublet of the inherited aragosta.


moscone

From mosca (“fly”) + -one (augmentative suffix).

suffix

(nautical) a type of recreational watercraft consisting of two parallel floaters joined together, propelled by oars


varroa

Borrowed from translingual Varroa, named after Roman polymath Mārcus Terentius Varrō.


aede

Aedes (genus within the family Culicidae – a genus of mosquito)


cavolaia maggiore

it-noun

cavolaia maggiore f (plural cavolaie maggiori)


cavolaia minore

cavolaia minore f (plural cavolaie minori)


tricottero

From the order name Trichoptera, from Ancient Greek θρίξ (thríx, “hair”) (trico-) and πτερόν (pterón, “wing”).


carruga

Borrowed from Lombard caruga, possibly from a blend of Latin caries (“decay, rot”) + ērūca (“caterpillar”).


moschino

From mosca (“fly”) + -ino (diminutive suffix).


paguro

Derived from Latin pagurus, from Ancient Greek πάγουρος (págouros).


dorifora

Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Leptinotarsa decemlineata#Translingual

potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata, syn. Doryphora decemlineata)


elaterio

From Latin elatērium, from Ancient Greek ἐλατήριον (elatḗrion).

click beetle, snapping beetle (of family Elateridae)


forficula

Borrowed from Latin forficula (“small scissors”). Doublet of forfecchia.


forfecchia

Inherited from Latin forficula (“small pair of scissors; earwig”). Doublet of forficula.


sicofante

From Latin sȳcophanta (“informer, trickster”), from Ancient Greek σῡκοφάντης (sūkophántēs).

uder

forest caterpillar hunter
forest caterpillar hunter

forest caterpillar hunter (the ground beetle Calosoma sycophanta)


opilione

From New Latin Opiliones, from Latin ōpiliōnem (“shepherd”).

harvestman (arachnid of the order Opiliones)


gorgoglione

From Latin gurguliōnem, alternative form of curculiō (“weevil”). In Old Italian there also existed a variant gorgoglio, likely from the Latin nominative gurguliō. Compare also Catalan corcoll, Spanish gorgojo.


gorgoglione

(regional) Synonym of gruccione (“European bee-eater”)


grancevola

Borrowed from Venetian, perhaps from a Vulgar Latin *cancricula, diminutive of Classical Latin cancer (“crab”).


grillotalpa

it-noun

grillotalpa f or m (masculine plural (rare) grillitalpa, feminine plural grillotalpe)

grillitalpa (masculine plural rare)
grillotalpe (feminine plural)


omaro

(rare) Synonym of gambero di mare (“European lobster”)


saltamartino

Verb-object compound, composed of salta (“to jump; to skip”) + Martino (literally “Martin”).

it-verb-obj

(informal) grasshopper, cricket (or similar jumping insect (or toy based on it))


tipula

crane fly (of family Tipulidae), daddy longlegs


acciughina

From acciuga (“anchovy”) + -ina (diminutive suffix).


cerambicide

longhorn beetle (of family Cerambycidae)


andrena

From New Latin, from Ancient Greek ἀνδρήνη (andrḗnē, “wasp”).


onisco

From Latin oniscus, from Ancient Greek ὀνισκος (oniskos), diminutive of ὄνος (ónos, “donkey, ass”).


vanessa

red admiral, painted lady or any other butterfly of the genus Vanessa


ranatra

any of the genus Ranatra of water scorpions


dermestide

From New Latin Dermestes, from Ancient Greek δερμηστής (dermēstḗs).

dermestid (insect of the genus Dermestes)


rodilegno

Verb-object compound, composed of rodi (“to gnaw”) + legno (“wood”).

it-verb-obj

(entomology) goat moth, miller moth (Cossus cossus)


podalirio

scarce swallowtail (butterfly of species Iphiclides podalirius)


scutigera

house centipede (centipede of the genus Scutigera)


cassida delle barbabietole

it-noun

cassida delle barbabietole f (plural casside delle barbabietole)

Literally, “tortoise beetle of the beets”.


formica bulldog

it-noun

formica bulldog f (plural formiche bulldog)


giallone

giallone m (plural gialloni, feminine giallona)

(derogatory) a person with a yellowish complexion


gambero di mare

gambero di mare m (plural gamberi di mare)

Homarus gammarus
Homarus gammarus#Translingual


ragno di prato

ragno di prato m (plural ragni di prato)


ragno d'acqua dolce

ragno d'acqua dolce m (plural ragni d'acqua dolce)

diving bell spider (Argyroneta aquatica)


ragno crociato

ragno crociato m (plural ragni crociati)

European garden spider
European garden spider

Araneus diadematus
Araneus diadematus#Translingual

European garden spider (Araneus diadematus)


ragno delle case

ragno delle case m (plural ragni delle case)

domestic house spider (Tegenaria domestica)


mazzancolla

(Rome, Lazio) Synonym of spannocchio (“striped prawn”)


cavalletta verde

cavalletta verde f (plural cavallette verdi)

great green bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima)


gambero di fiume

gambero di fiume m (plural gamberi di fiume)


elefante di mare

elefante di mare m (plural elefanti di mare)


lupicante

Borrowed from Spanish lobagante, from Vulgar Latin *lucopante, from Ancient Greek λυκοπάνθηρ (lukopánthēr, “jackal”), derived from λύκος (lúkos, “wolf”) + πάνθηρ (pánthēr, “panther”), due to the crustacean's pigmentation and aggressive appearance.

der

Synonym of gambero di mare (“European lobster”)


gambero imperiale

it-noun

gambero imperiale m (plural gamberi imperiali)


marmeggia

Ultimately from Latin vermiculus, diminutive of vermis (“worm”). Considering its highly unusual development, perhaps borrowed via a regional language of Italy.

name of several species of insects in the Dermestes taxonomic genus, especially the larder beetle (Dermestes lardarius)


bombilio

Borrowed from translingual Bombylius, from Ancient Greek βομβυλιός (bombuliós, “a buzzing insect; (by extension) a narrow-necked vessel”).

der

(archaeology, Ancient Greece) a small vessel used for perfumes and ointments


epilacna

Borrowed from translingual Epilachna, derived from Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + λάχνη (lákhnē, “woolly hair”).

any beetle in the Epilachna taxonomic genus


adalia

any ladybug in the Adalia taxonomic genus


mosca cavallina

it-noun

mosca cavallina f (plural mosche cavalline)


mosca culaia

Literally, “butt-fly”, due to its habit of biting the behind of horses.


pesciolino d'argento

pesciolino d'argento m (plural pesciolini d'argento)

(entomology) silverfish (Lepisma saccharina)


erebia

any member of species of the genus Erebia of butterflies.


epioflebia

any insect of the Epiophlebia taxonomic genus


cimice dei letti

cimice dei letti f (plural cimici dei letti)


granchio del cocco

granchio del cocco m (plural granchi del cocco)


calosoma comune

calosoma comune m (plural calosomi comuni)

forest caterpillar hunter (the ground beetle Calosoma sycophanta)


calosoma verde

calosoma verde m (plural calosomi verdi)


calosoma

From translingual Calosoma, derived from Ancient Greek καλός (kalós, “beautiful”) + σῶμα (sôma, “body”).

com

caterpillar hunter (any ground beetle of the genus Calosoma)