eater

1. (cellular automata) A configuration of cells that appears to consume another configuration by gradually causing it to disappear.Examples: "But there are many queen bee configurations in which the debris is neutralized, including placement of a block or eater near the bee's turnaround point, or placing two queen bees in a line or at right angles in various positions and phases."; "The eater can also destroy a snail, but changes its phase while doing so."; "Probably even if it didn't fail catastrophically, any design like this would get stuck in an infinite loop pretty quick, upon hitting its first "cleaner-proof" ash -- an eater pattern that happens to absorb the test reaction without itself being altered."