spruce budworm

[buhd-wurm]

noun

the larva of a common tortricid moth, Choristoneura fumiferana, that is a destructive pest primarily of spruce and balsam fir in the northern and northeastern U.S. and in Canada.

Origin of spruce budworm

First recorded in 1880–85

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018