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Offensive gypsy moth to be renamed as insects fall victim to the culture war Names such as Hitler’s beetle and large faggotworm have been deemed inappropriate Lymantria dispar, or the gypsy moth, is a pest in North American forests Credit: AP Gypsy moths are one of the most destructive invasive species in the world, chewing through millions of tree leaves each year, leaving forests bare and bird populations suffering. But they have now also become the latest victim of the culture war, after the Entomological Society of America (ESA) launched a review into insect names that “may be inappropriate or offensive” and decided to “remove” the moth’s common name.

Puerto ricoUnited statesNew zealandUnited kingdomSri lankaTerry mcglynnJoe rominieckiMichelle smithAdolf hitlerOscar scheibelInternational commission on zoological nomenclatureEntomological society of americaNatural history museum of los angelesEntomological societyBetter common names projectWest indian