plantlouse
nounUK /ˈplɑːntlaʊs/
US /ˈplæntlaʊs/
A plantlouse is a tiny bug that drinks juice from plants.
The gardener found a plantlouse on the rose stem.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Any small insect of the family Aphididae that feeds on plant sap.
Plantlice can weaken young shoots by draining their sap.
3. A pest insect that secretes honeydew, often tended by ants.
Ants protect plantlice because they collect the sweet honeydew.
4. A tiny sap-sucking bug that can spread plant viruses.
Farmers watch for plantlice to stop diseases from spreading.