spanworm

[ span-wurm ]

noun

, Older Use.

1. inchworm ( def ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of spanworm¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1810–20; span ¹ + worm

Example Sentences

As justification for the designation, the governor’s letter cites and details forest-damaging insects and diseases such as beech bark disease, the hemlock woolly adelgid, gypsy moth, emerald ash borer, sirex woodwasp and a variety of native tree defoliators, including the forest and eastern tent caterpillars, cherry scallop shell moth and the elm spanworm.

From Washington Times

On the same branch, I nearly overlook a charcoal gray spanworm camouflaged as a twig.

From New York Times

Insects.—The rosebug, spanworm, great greenworm, and many other insects, infest grapevines, and do much injury.

From Project Gutenberg

She had long been troubled with the spanworm on her trees.

From Project Gutenberg

This coating seems to protect the caterpillar from the sparrow, with the result that Philadelphia's trees were soon nearly defoliated by this comparatively new pest, worse than the spanworm.

From Project Gutenberg