candle miller n Cf candle fly n 1, miller n
A moth, esp one that is attracted to light.
1826 Eaton Zool. Text-Book 109, Phalaena, (candle-miller, moth,) antennæ setaceous, gradually lessening from the base to tip; wings, when sitting, generally deflexed and bent down archwise; flight nocturnal. 1874 Friends’ Intelligencer 31.64, Here is an instance where a flock of gulls acted like candle-millers: Capt. Atwood, keeper of the upper light off Plymouth, says that on the night of a heavy fog recently, his attention was called to an unusual noise about the light-house building, and on going into the lantern he found it completely surrounded by a flock of gulls, apparently as thick together as they could fly. 1966 DARE (Qu. R4, A large winged insect that hatches in summer in great numbers around lakes or rivers, crowds around lights, lives only a day or so, and is good fish bait) Inf AR41, Candle bug, candle miller. 1986 Pederson LAGS Concordance (Moth—around candle) 1 inf, nwAL, Candle miller; [1 inf, cnGA, Candle moth].