witchety grub

English

Two witchety grubs, one of them feeding on wood.

Alternative forms

witchetty grub, witjuti grub

Etymology

From witchety +‎ grub, a partial calque of some Pama-Nyungan language (compare Arabana mako witjuti (“witchety grub”, from mako (“grub”) +‎ witjuti (“witchety bush”))).

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)

Noun

witchety grub (plural witchety grubs)

(Australia) The large, white, wood-eating larvae of several moths and beetles, especially the species Endoxyla leucomochla, traditionally eaten by Aboriginals in the Australian desert.
- 2022, Meg Mooney, Northern Territory Literary Awards, page 33:
  I'll think of how the kids come alive walking around sandplains / reading tracks, looking for goannas, digging up witchetty grubs / collecting berries, branches of bush medicines.

References

witchety grub on Wikipedia.Wikipedia