Defoliate
Sometimes the caterpillars are so hungry they eat
all the leaves off the plant. We say the plant has been defoliated.
When an insect eats all the leaves, the gardener
is usually pretty unhappy. They might choose to spray poisons to
kill the "pest" insects.
Defoliation of these milkweed plants is a good sign
to me.
I think this caterpillar has finished all her dinner
and should get dessert!
Definitions:
defoliate - To deprive (a plant, tree, or forest)
of leaves.
foliage - Plant leaves, especially tree leaves,
considered as a group.
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