ˈant-fly
One of the winged ants, or perfect males and females, of an ant's nest; a favourite bait in angling.
| 1653 Walton Angler 221 Take the blackish Ant-fly out of..the Ant-hil. 1746 Miles in Phil. Trans. XLIV. 354 Winged Ants commonly known by the Name of Ant-Flies. 1787 T. Best Angling (ed. 2) 117 The little Red and Black Ant-Flies come on about the tenth or twelfth of August. [1867 F. Francis Angling vi. (1880) 233 The Red and Black Ants are very favourite flies during July.] |