Insect

Insect is a catch-all creature type used for crawling or flying little creatures, as well as larger and/or humanoid variants thereof. The first creature to bear the type was Yavimaya Gnats in Ice Age (though the Carrion Ants from Legends was later issued errata to become an insect.) Insects are printed in all colors, but most prevalent in green and black.

Imago

 * Ant (Army Ants, Ant Queen)
 * Bee (Killer Bees, Unyaro Bees)
 * Beetle (Carrion Beetles, Scavenging Scarab, Monstrous Carabid</c> )
 * Butterfly (Giant Caterpillar</c> produces Insect tokens named Butterfly)
 * Cockroach (Brood of Cockroaches</c>)
 * Dragonfly (Bayou Dragonfly</c>)
 * Firefly (Firefly</c>)
 * Fly (Robber Fly</c>)
 * Gnat (Yavimaya Gnats</c>)
 * Grasshopper (Acridian</c>)
 * Hornet (Hornet Queen</c>)
 * Locust (Locust Swarm</c>)
 * Mantis (Giant Mantis</c>)
 * Mosquito (Swamp Mosquito</c>)
 * Moth (Hawkeater Moth</c>)
 * Solifuge (Giant Solifuge</c>; actually an arachnid)
 * Wasp (Caustic Wasps</c>)
 * Walking Stick (Twigwalker</c>)
 * Weevil (<c>Brain Weevil</c>)

Larva

 * Beetle (<c>Deadly Grub</c>, <c>Coiling Woodworm</c>)
 * Butterfly (<c>Giant Caterpillar</c>)
 * Fly (<c>Flow of Maggots</c>)

Artifact

 * <c>Clockwork Beetle</c>
 * <c>Clockwork Swarm</c>
 * <c>Hornet Cannon</c> (produces Insect artifact creature tokens named Hornet)
 * <c>Jhoira's Toolbox</c>
 * <c>Rust Tick</c>
 * <c>Wirefly Hive</c> (produces Insect artifact creature tokens named Wirefly)
 * <c>The Hive</c> (produces Insect artifact creature tokens named Wasp)

Amonkhet

 * <c>The Locust God</c> released a swarm of locusts on an unprepared Amonkhet.

Grixis
Banewasps are omnivorous insects that nest in reeflike hives that tower over Grixis's sea. Banewasps prefer decaying flesh to other food and will swarm in great numbers in search of freshly dead corpses. However, sometimes the larvae feed on the flesh of zombies or living humans.

Mirrodin / New Phyrexia
Pistus flies are mosquito-like flying insects that feed on the fluids of living beasts on Mirrodin. A sufficiently hungry swarm of pistus flies can even take down a dragon.In recent times they've become an unwitting ally of New Phyrexia, as they are capable of slurping up and then spreading the Phyrexian contagion to other creatures.

Emerald dragonflies
<c title="Emerald dragonflies">Emerald Dragonfly</c> are insects native to the White Woods of Corondor. They were used by the Calthyn elves in their battles against the Lieryn elves.

Eumidians
Eumidians are humanoid wasps with brilliant gold exoskeletons, four transparent wings, and large green compound eyes.

Eumidians originally lived in a hive society, somewhere in Jamuraa. However, individuals with particularly powerful minds, such as Xira Arien, were able to break free and live independently.

Nantuko
The Nantuko are a sapient race of mostly benevolent man-sized insects, who lived a life of strong respect for nature and protected the Krosan Forest. Nantuko are most commonly found in Krosa on Otaria, but have appeared on Urborg as well. During the time of major climate change in Sarpadia following The Brothers' War, the Thelonite Order included humanoid insects who may have been Nantuko.

The current fate of the Nantuko race is unknown, as Krosa has been all but destroyed after the machinations of Karona, the Mirari, and the time rifts. In the Time Spiral novel, there are mentions of Nantukos still living in Urborg, and serving Lord Windgrace.

Notable Nantuko include:
 * Thriss

Innistrad
Although the plane of Innistrad has no known natural species of sentient insect, there have been cases documented of <c title="mad scientists">Delver of Secrets</c> delving into the dark arts and becoming <c title="nightmarish aberrations">Insectile Aberration</c>.

Kraul
The sapient <c title="Kraul">Kraul Warrior</c> inhabit the Undercity, far below the main streets of Ravnica. Living on the periphery, some felt a sense of loyalty and kinship toward the Golgari Swarm, while others rejected the guilds. These six-legged insectile beings are hard-headed and literal-minded. Some of them possess a set of functional wings and are capable of flight. These creatures lay their eggs in the body of another species. The giant "mother" is eaten alive when the eggs gestate. Highest in rank are the death priests, followed by the necromancers. The majority occupy various roles of soldiery, from commanders to lowliest infantry. Their current leader is unknown.

After Vraska became guildmaster, the Kraul gained a more important role, and became loyal to her personally instead of to the Swarm.

Dominaria
The Windgrace Acolytes of Urborg used trained insects, called gladehunters, to track down artifice and artificers alike.

Kamigawa
Some Mothrider Samurai</c> of Eiganjo on Kamigawa ride gigantic trained moths into combat. Nezumi shamans are known to use incantations that summon and control insects, to swarm and distract their enemies.

Ravnica
The Golgari Swarm of Ravnica ride bizarre insects called stiltstriders or longlegs, which are gangly, stilt-legged creatures as tall as a building.

Tarkir
At the isolated Highspire Stronghold on Tarkir, Mantis Rider</c> of the Jeskai Way are trained to control and ride wild mantises. These mantises make for dangerous mounts, never forming a sense of loyalty toward their riders, who must take care to always be on their guard.

Grand Creature Type Update
In (and before) the Grand Creature Type Update the creature types Ant, Bee, Butterfly, Caterpillar, Dragonfly, Hornet, Mosquito, Swarm, Wasp and Wirefly were changed to Insect. In Magic, centipedes are also considered insects.

Notable Insects

 * Dominaria
 * Thriss
 * Xira Arien


 * Ikoria
 * Kathril


 * Mirrodin
 * Zabaz


 * Ravnica
 * Mazirek


 * Unknown
 * Grist

Triva

 * <c>Swarmyard</c> is a land that regenerates insects.

Tokens

 * Test cards

Manlands

 * <c>Nantuko Monastery</c> 4/4  Insect Monk creature with first strike

Manstones

 * <c>Golgari Keyrune</c> 2/2  Insect artifact creature with deathtouch