'larvae-tending' is a compound word formed in English from 'larvae' (the plural of 'larva', from Latin 'larva' meaning 'ghost, mask, or specter', later used in biology for the immature form of insects) and 'tending' (from the verb 'tend', from Latin 'tendere' meaning 'to stretch, extend').

'larva' entered English from Latin in the 17th century, and 'tend' from Old French 'tendre' and Latin 'tendere'. The compound 'larvae-tending' is a modern scientific term, likely first used in the 20th century in entomological literature.

Initially, 'larva' referred to a mask or ghost, but in scientific usage, it came to mean the immature form of an insect. 'Tending' has always meant to care for or look after. The compound now specifically refers to the act or behavior of caring for insect larvae.