skeletonizing

Both beetles are known as skeletonizing leaf beetles (along with flea beetles and a host of others), because they eat the fleshy parts of the leaf but leave the "veins" and other thicker parts of the leaf untouched, leaving the leaves looking like skeletons.

Iowa Voice 2008

Sculptural crafts included shellwork, featherwork, leatherwork, waxwork, and mosaic work, as well as the weird and exotic arts of hairwork, "skeletonizing" and potichomanie.

Book-Wyrm-Knits 2010

And, since I now can't touch the grape vines, I'm watching the skeletonizer moth larvae skeletonizing the leaves, leaving the vines bare.

Rough Week Becca 2009

Somehow, this afternoon I don't feel like a piranha "skeletonizing sacred cows with cruel impunity."

Hey, New York Times! Okay if we build treehouses in Central Park? Ann Althouse 2008

If skeletonizing in summer time, trust to sun alone, as chloride of lime has a tendency to make the leaves go brittle.

Practical Taxidermy A manual of instruction to the amateur in collecting, preserving, and setting up natural history specimens of all kinds. To which is added a chapter upon the pictorial arrangement of museums. With additional instructions in modelling and artistic taxidermy. Montagu Browne

I have seen hordes of beetles gather in these trees in July and August, skeletonizing the leaves until the defoliation reached 40\% or more.

Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 41st Annual Meeting Pleasant Valley, New York, August 28, 29 and 30, 1950

Briefly Hal reported the exchange of ideas between himself and his staff, skeletonizing his own speech.

The Clarion Samuel Hopkins Adams 1914

It will be noticed that in skeletonizing a list of the qualities which have carried her to the dizzy summit which she occupies, I have not mentioned the power which was the commanding force employed in achieving that lofty flight.

Christian Science Mark Twain 1872

Now, it is virtually impossible to condense a well - knit novel of 60,000 words to one - third that length without emasculating the characters and skeletonizing the plot.

In The Queens' Parlour Queen, Ellery 1864

Also complete instructions in leaf photography, plant printing, and the skeletonizing of leaves.

All Adrift or The Goldwing Club Oliver Optic 1859