cutworm

[ kuht-wurm ]

noun

1. the larva of any of several noctuid moths, which feeds at night on the stems of young plants, cutting them off at the ground.

cutworm

/ ˈkʌtˌwɜːm /

noun

1. the caterpillar of various noctuid moths, esp those of the genus Argrotis, which is a pest of young crop plants in North America

Word History and Origins

Origin of cutworm¹

First recorded in 1800–10; cut + worm

Example Sentences

Only the gardener knows the cutworms are winning, or that those billowing cosmos fill in the bare space where the delphinium died.

From Seattle Times

As an example, black cutworm caterpillars are eaten by green lacewings, among others.

From Salon

For some insects like cutworms, it's the larvae that do the damage, in others, such as the tarnished plant bug, it's the nymphs and adults that severely damage vegetables, berries, fruit trees, and ornamental plants.

From Salon

But even though moths and butterflies are favored hosts, some species, including armyworms, cutworms, and cabbage butterflies, have shown a strange resistance to a plethora of wasp parasites, such as Cotesia kariyai and Baccharis vanessae.

From Science Magazine

The long-toothed dart moth is a type of cutworm—small brown moths that look virtually the same.

From National Geographic