tobacco budworm

[tuh-bak-oh buhd-wurm]

noun

1. the larva of the noctuid moth Chloridea virescens, noted especially for damaging the buds and young leaves of tobacco, but also similarly destructive to cotton, legumes, and various fruits and vegetables.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tobacco budworm¹

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

GRONINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS—For insects such as the tobacco budworm moth, beauty is actually in the “nose” of the beholder, as females use chemical scents called pheromones to lure in potential mates.

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This cotton has been genetically modified in an effort to make it more resistant to pests such as bollworms and tobacco budworm.

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This cotton has been genetically modified, making it more resistant to pests such as bollworms and tobacco budworm.

Read more on BBC