أَرَضَةٌ

[The wood-fretter;] a certain insect that eats wood, (S A, Msb, K,) well known; (A, K;) it is a white worm, resembling the ant, appearing in the days of the [season called] رَبِيع: (TA:) there are two kinds: one kind is small, like the large of the ذَرّ [or grubs of ants]; and this is the bane of wood in particular: (AHn, TA:) or this kind is the bane of wood and of other things, and is a white worm with a black head, not having wings, and it penetrates into the earth, and builds for itself a habitation of clay, or soil; and this is said to be that which ate the staff of Solomon [as is related in the Qur'an, 34:13, where it is called دَابَّةُ الأَرْضِ, as is said in the A]: (TA:) the other kind [is the termite, or white ant; termes fatale of Linn.; called by Forskål (in his Descr. Animalium &c., p. 96,) termes arda, destructor; and this] is like a large common ant, having wings; it is the bane of everything that is of wood, and of plants; except that it does not attack what is moist, or succulent; and it has legs: (AHn, TA:) the plural is ↓ أَرَضٌ (AHn, Msb, TA) and أَرَضَاتٌ; (Msb;) or, as some [more properly] say, أَرَضٌ is a quasi-plural [or coll. gen.] n. (AHn, TA.) It is said in a prov., اكَلُ مِنَ الأَرَضَةِ [More consuming than the wood-fretter, or the termite]. (TA.) And in another, أَفْسَدُ مِنَ الأَرَضَةِ [More marring, or injuring, or destructive, than the wood-fretter, or the termite.] (A, TA.)