Hypertext Webster Gateway: "cankerworm"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Cankerworm
(Heb. yelek), "the licking locust," which licks up the grass of
the field; probably the locust at a certain stage of its growth,
just as it emerges from the caterpillar state (Joel 1:4; 2:25).
The word is rendered "caterpillar" in Ps. 105:34; Jer. 51:14, 17
(but R.V. "canker-worm"). "It spoileth and fleeth away" (Nah.
3:16), or as some read the passage, "The cankerworm putteth off
[i.e., the envelope of its wings], and fleeth away."
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Cankerworm \Can"ker*worm`\, n. (Zo["o]l.)
The larva of two species of geometrid moths which are very
injurious to fruit and shade trees by eating, and often
entirely destroying, the foliage. Other similar larv[ae] are
also called cankerworms.
Note: The autumnal species ({Anisopteryx pometaria}) becomes
adult late in autumn (after frosts) and in winter. The
spring species ({A. vernata}) remains in the ground
through the winter, and matures in early spring. Both
have winged males and wingless females. The larv[ae]
are similar in appearance and habits, and belong to the
family of measuring worms or spanworms. These larv[ae]
hatch from the eggs when the leaves begin to expand in
spring.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
cankerworm
n : green caterpillar of a geometrid moth; pest of various fruit
and shade trees
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