Crossword Genius

Fly, perhaps, one swallowed by nocturnal insectivore (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bait

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'fly perhaps' is the definition.
(fly is a kind of bait)

'one swallowed by nocturnal insectivore' is the wordplay.
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'swallowed by' indicates putting letters inside.
'nocturnal insectivore' becomes 'bat' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'i' put into 'bat' is 'BAIT'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for bait that I've seen before include "A lure to catch fish" , "Enticement for fish" , "Boilie, for example" , "What lures" , "Food to lure fish" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.