Easton's Bible Dictionary (Hebrews 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 Psalm 105:34; Jeremiah 51:14, 17 (but R.V. "canker-worm"). "It spoileth and fleeth away" (Nahum 3:16), or as some read the passage, "The cankerworm putteth off [i.e., the envelope of its wings], and fleeth away." Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) 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 larvae are also called cankerworms. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia CANKER-WORM kan'-ker-wurm (yeleq, (Joel 1:4; Joel 2:25 Nahum 3:15, 16)): The name given to a larval stage of the LOCUST (which see). See also CATERPILLAR.

Multi-Version Concordance Cankerworm (7 Occurrences) Psalms 105:34 He spoke, and the locust came, and the cankerworm, even without number; (DBY YLT) Jeremiah 51:14 Sworn hath Jehovah of Hosts by Himself, That, Surely I have filled thee 'with' men as the cankerworm, And they have cried against thee -- shouting. (YLT) Jeremiah 51:27 Lift ye up an ensign in the land, Blow a trumpet among nations, Sanctify against it nations, Summon against it the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz, Appoint against it an infant head, Cause the horse to ascend as the rough cankerworm. (YLT) Joel 1:4 That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten. (KJV DBY YLT) Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. (KJV DBY YLT) Nahum 3:15 There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts. (KJV DBY YLT) Nahum 3:16 Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and fleeth away. (KJV DBY YLT)