noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
insect damage; damage by insects
Formal or literary term for damage caused by insects, especially to crops, stored goods, or clothing. Often used in agricultural or historical contexts.
古文書には、穀物の蠧毒に悩まされた記録が残っている。
Ancient documents contain records of suffering from insect damage to grain.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
Extended figurative use: harm or blight caused by something insidious, like an insect eating away at something. Rare and literary; modern Japanese would more often use 害 or 被害.
その政策は社会に蠧毒をもたらしたと批判された。
The policy was criticized for bringing blight upon society.