CUTWORM
cutworm
(noun) North American moth whose larvae feed on young plant stems cutting them off at the ground
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
cutworm (plural cutworms)
The larva of any of many moths of the family Noctuidae; it is an agricultural pest.
Source: Wiktionary
Cut"worm` (-wrm`), n. (Zoöl.)
Definition: A caterpillar which at night eats off young plants of cabbage,
corn, etc., usually at the ground. Some kinds ascend fruit trees and
eat off the flower buds. During the day, they conceal themselves in
the earth. The common cutworms are the larvæ of various species of
Agrotis and related genera of noctuid moths.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition