Snow Bug - Yukimushi

Japanese: 雪虫 - ゆきむし

〘Noun〙① (The name comes from the fact that the white secretions on their bodies when they fly resemble snowflakes. It is also said to come from the belief that when these insects fly, snow is near.) Another name for the insect "watamushi (cotton bug)." [Season: Winter] *New Trend Haiku Collection (1915), Kawato Hekigoto, Meiji 39, "The grove in front of the shrine where snow bugs fly" ② An insect that appears on the snow in early spring around February in the northern regions. They include hatched snowfield bugs and lower spring bugs, and they crawl around on the snow in swarms or fly low. [Season: Spring] *Reader, Tale of the Udongara (1804), Shijo, "The falling snow has stopped, the moonlight clouds have opened, and even the flight of the snow bugs can be seen."

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

〘名〙① (からだに白い分泌物をつけて飛ぶのが雪片に似ているところからの名。また、この虫が飛ぶと雪が近いと信じられているところからともいう) 昆虫「わたむし（綿虫）」の異名。《季・冬》※新傾向句集（1915）〈河東碧梧桐〉明治三九年「雪虫の飛ぶ廟前の木立かな」② 北国で早春二月ごろ、雪の上に現われる昆虫。雪渓虫の羽化したものや下等なトビムシなどで、群をなして雪の上をはいまわったり、低く飛んだりする。《季・春》※読本・優曇華物語（1804）四上「雪ふりやみて、月光雲をひらき、雪虫(ユキムシ)の飛すら、見とむるばかり」

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