pink bollworm

noun

1. the larva of a gelechiid moth, Pectinophora gossypiella, that feeds on the seeds of the bolls of cotton and was introduced into cotton-growing regions of the world from Asia.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pink bollworm¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Department of Agriculture is seeking to enlist such techniques to eradicate an invasive diamondback moth in New York, which eats vegetable crops, and a cotton-munching pink bollworm in Arizona.

From Seattle Times