any of various wandering caterpillars feeding on plants
palmerworm in American English
(ˈpɑːmərˌwɜːrm)
noun
the larva of a tineid moth, Dichomeris ligulella, of the eastern U.S., that feeds on the leaves of apple and other fruit trees
Word origin
[1550–60; palmer1 + worm]This word is first recorded in the period 1550–60. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: haul, modulate, network, residual, rhythm