pyralis

plural pyralises · plural pyralides

1. A species of firefly, Photinus pyralis

   When a pyralis female sees a flash of the appropriate characteristics, she waits 2 seconds and then emits her own half-second flash.

   1986, Robert W. Mitchell, Nicholas S. Thompson, Deception: Perspectives on Human and Nonhuman Deceit, →ISBN, page 114

   2 more examples

   As Loeb has shown by many experiments, the phototropic phenomena of animals differ not at all from those of plants, and they carry no more psychism in a polyp or in a pyralis than in a geranium or in a volvox.

   1922, E.-L. Bouvier, The Psychic Life of Insects, page 9

   If you have an opportunity to experiment with Photinus pyralis, try the following: Start a male toward you by answering him properly, that is, as a pyralis female would answer him, once or twice.

   1968, The Conservationist - Volumes 23-24, page 169

2. A moth of the genus Pyralis.

   This once happened in a hemp field destroyed by a pyralis, described by me in a special memoir.

   1850, Gardeners Chronicle & New Horticulturist - Volume 10, page 277

   2 more examples

   At first there was a belief that the caterpillar was that of a pyralis like that which caused such great loss to beet growers in southern Russia, Roumania and North America.

   1907, Sugar - Volume 9, page 333

   What would have been the opinion of the public, seeing e.g. a butterfly and a pyralis placed in the same genus ?

   1962, Memorie della Società entomologica italiana