'Cutworm' definitions:
Definition of 'cutworm'
(from WordNet)
noun
North American moth whose larvae feed on young plant stems cutting them off at the ground
Definition of 'Cutworm'
From: GCIDE
- Cutworm \Cut"worm`\ (-w?rm`), n. (Zool.) A caterpillar which at night eats off young plants of cabbage, corn, etc., usually at the ground. Some kinds ascend fruit trees and eat off the flower buds. During the day, they conceal themselves in the earth. The common cutworms are the larv[ae] of various species of Agrotis and related genera of noctuid moths. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'cutworm'
From: GCIDE
- Caterpillar \Cat"er*pil`lar\, n. [OE. catyrpel, corrupted fr. OF. chatepelouse, or cate pelue, fr. chate, F. chatte, she-cat, fem. of chat, L. catus + L. pilosus hairy, or F. pelu hairy, fr. L. pilus hair. See Cat, and Pile hair.]
- 1. (Zool.) The larval state of a butterfly or any lepidopterous insect; sometimes, but less commonly, the larval state of other insects, as the sawflies, which are also called false caterpillars. The true caterpillars have three pairs of true legs, and several pairs of abdominal fleshy legs (prolegs) armed with hooks. Some are hairy, others naked. They usually feed on leaves, fruit, and succulent vegetables, being often very destructive, Many of them are popularly called worms, as the cutworm, cankerworm, army worm, cotton worm, silkworm. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Scorpiurus, with pods resembling caterpillars. [1913 Webster]
- Caterpillar catcher, or Caterpillar eater (Zool.), a bird belonging to the family of Shrikes, which feeds on caterpillars. The name is also given to several other birds.
- Caterpillar hunter (Zool.), any species of beetles of the genus Callosoma and other allied genera of the family Carabid[ae] which feed habitually upon caterpillars. [1913 Webster]