molts

Loses outer covering

Molts is the third-person singular verb form of molt—to shed feathers, skin, hair, or an outer layer as part of a natural growth cycle: The snake molts its skin several times a year.

Birds molt old feathers to grow new ones.

Insects molt their exoskeletons.

The noun molt refers to the process or the material shed: We found owl molts in the barn.

shedding

exuviate

Shed external covering

sloughBoggy ground or cast-off skin
castoffDiscarded item or person
peelOuter fruit layer

flaking · dander · fur · feathers · skin · carapace · chitin · exoskeleton · quills · scales

lifecycle

instar

Arthropod developmental stage

larvaImmature feeding stage
nymphNature spirit or larva
pupaInsect's resting stage

chrysalis · caterpillar · imago · pupation · juvenile · adult · stage · development · maturation · emergence

renewal

regenerate

Restore by regrowing

regrowDevelop again after loss
replacePut something else there
renewMake valid again

refresh · restore · rejuvenate · rebirth · transformation · seasonal · cyclical · periodic · annual · hormonal

animals

arthropods

Jointed-limb invertebrates

crustaceansExoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
insectsSix-legged arthropods
spidersWeb-spinning eight-legged creatures

reptiles · birds · snakes · lizards · cicadas · lobsters · crabs · tarantulas · scorpions · silkworms

molts

exuviate

instar

regenerate

arthropods

molts

Opposites

Phrases

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