Definition

1. Noun:
   • An organism that feeds primarily on insects: An insectivore is any animal whose diet consists mainly of insects and other small invertebrates.
   • A small, mainly nocturnal mammal: Specifically, a member of the mammalian order Eulipotyphla (formerly Insectivora), which includes animals like shrews, moles, and hedgehogs, characterized by feeding on insects and being active at night or living underground.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The aardvark is a specialized insectivore, using its long tongue to eat termites.
  • Shrews are common insectivores found in many woodland habitats.

Advanced Usage

• Ecological Role: In ecology, an "insectivore" describes a specific feeding niche, crucial for controlling insect populations.
  • Bats that are insectivores provide valuable pest control services for farmers.

Variants and Related Words

• Insectivorous (adj): Describing the characteristic of feeding on insects.
  • The insectivorous birds were busy catching flies.
• Insectivory (n): The practice or condition of feeding on insects.
  • Insectivory is a common dietary strategy among small mammals.

Synonyms

• Bug-eater (informal)
• Entomophage (scientific term for an insect-eating organism)

Related Phrases

• Obligate insectivore: An animal that must eat insects to survive and cannot thrive on other diets.
  • The anteater is an obligate insectivore.

Noun

1. any organism that feeds mainly on insects
2. small insect-eating mainly nocturnal terrestrial or fossorial mammals