pink bollworm

American  

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.

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Etymology

Origin of pink bollworm

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