injurious parasite
螟 centers on a harmful insect or worm that damages plants, specifically a type of injurious parasite.
螟 combines 虫 (insect) with 冥, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to darkness or obscurity, suggesting a hidden or harmful insect.
An insect 虫 that works in the dark 冥, like a hidden parasite that damages plants unseen.
For メイ, imagine a mayfly larva acting as an injurious parasite: may -> メイ, and the insect 虫 hides in the dark 冥.
yellow stem borer (Scirpophaga incertulas)
yellow stem borer (species of moth, Scirpophaga incertulas)
striped stem borer (Chilo suppressalis)
Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella); indianmeal moth; pantry moth; North American high-flyer
striped stem borer larva
pyralid larva; borer
hornworm
pyralid (any moth of family Pyralidae, many of which have larvae that devour foodstuffs)