Meaning of black palmer | Babel Free

Definitions

The larva of the turnip sawfly, an agricultural pest

colloquial, obsolete

Examples

“Mr. Wooldridge informed me, that on the first appearance of the insects, before he had himself observed them, one of his older neighbours remarked to him, that "the yellow flies which produce the black palmers were then abundant in the turnip fields;" […]”

“The caterpillars of the Turnip Sawfly (Athalia spinarum) called ‘Niggers’ or ‘Black Palmers’ attack the leaves at a more advanced stage, and may be recognised by their dull yellow colour, and dense whitish short hairs.”

CEFR level