noun
inchworm; measuring worm; looper caterpillar
Refers to the caterpillar of geometer moths, known for its looping gait. The name 尺取 literally means 'measuring-taker' from its movement resembling a measuring action.
庭で尺取虫を見つけた。
I found an inchworm in the garden.
尺取は、体を伸ばしたり縮めたりして移動する。
Inchworms move by stretching and contracting their bodies.
More explicit term for the inchworm, literally 'measuring-taker insect'. 尺取 is a shorter form often used in compounds or as an abbreviation.
From 尺 (shaku, a unit of length) + 取 (tori, taking), referring to the caterpillar's looping movement that resembles measuring a length. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with this meaning.