alfalfa caterpillar

noun

: the green larva of the alfalfa butterfly that feeds on the foliage of alfalfa through most of North America and is especially abundant and destructive in the southwestern U.S.

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of alfalfa caterpillar was in 1911

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Alfalfa caterpillar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alfalfa%20caterpillar. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation