pink bollworm
noun
: a small dark brown moth (Pectinophora gossypiella) whose pinkish larva bores into the flowers and bolls of cotton and is a destructive pest in most cotton-growing regions
Examples of pink bollworm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Not every pink bollworm was susceptible to the toxin.
—
Amanda Morris, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2021
Over the years, the success of screwworm eradication has inspired scientists to apply the sterile-insect technique to other agricultural pests such as the Mexican fruit fly, the Mediterraean fruit fly, and the pink bollworm.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 26 May 2020
The pink bollworm moth has been eradicated after ravaging U.S. cotton crops for more than a century.
—Jennifer Smith, WSJ, 26 Oct. 2018
Cotton farmers in Maharashtra have lost about 120 billion rupees after pink bollworm damaged crops, Dhawale said.
—Bloomberg.com, 12 Mar. 2018
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Amanda Morris, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2021
Over the years, the success of screwworm eradication has inspired scientists to apply the sterile-insect technique to other agricultural pests such as the Mexican fruit fly, the Mediterraean fruit fly, and the pink bollworm.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 26 May 2020
The pink bollworm moth has been eradicated after ravaging U.S. cotton crops for more than a century.
—Jennifer Smith, WSJ, 26 Oct. 2018
Cotton farmers in Maharashtra have lost about 120 billion rupees after pink bollworm damaged crops, Dhawale said.
—Bloomberg.com, 12 Mar. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Pink bollworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pink%20bollworm. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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