tobacco hornworm

noun

1. the larva of a hawk moth, Manduca sexta, having a hornlike structure at its posterior end and feeding on the leaves of tobacco and other plants of the nightshade family.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tobacco hornworm¹

First recorded in 1730–40

Example Sentences

Encouraging results have been obtained with the Hessian fly and the tobacco hornworm.

Read more on Literature

It works like this: when tobacco hornworm caterpillars start munching on the plant, their saliva interacts with the G.L.V.’s, causing a chemical change to the G.L.V. compounds.

Read more on New York Times

Shaped something like an accordion, the tobacco hornworm caterpillar moves one segment at a time.

Read more on New York Times

And what it unquestionably shows is the caterpillar in the children’s book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” is not a tobacco hornworm.

Read more on New York Times