'larva-harboring' originates from Modern English, specifically the combination of the noun 'larva' (from Latin) and the verb 'harbor' (from Old English/Old Norse roots) plus the gerundive/participle suffix '-ing'.

'larva' comes from Latin 'larva' (meaning 'ghost' or 'mask'), passed into Medieval/Scientific Latin to denote an insect stage and then into English as 'larva'. 'harbor' evolved from Old English 'herebeorg'/'herberge' (shelter) through Middle English 'herberge/harbor' to modern English 'harbor'. The compound 'larva-harboring' is a descriptive Modern English formation combining these elements.

Initially, Latin 'larva' meant 'ghost' or 'mask', but over time it came to mean the immature insect stage; 'harbor' originally meant a shelter or refuge and has retained that core sense. The compound now literally means 'providing shelter or habitat for larvae'.