Insect

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Insect
Creature Type
(Subtype for creature/kindred cards)
Statistics
231 cards
{C} 2.2% {W} 2.6% {U} 2.6% {B} 26% {R} 8.2% {G} 37.2% {U/B} 0.9% {B/R} 0.9% {R/G} 0.4% {G/W} 0.4% {B/G} 3% {R/W} 0.4% {G/U} 0.9% {M} 3% {artifact symbol} 11.3%
48 Insect creation cards
{C} 2.1% {W} 2.1% {B} 8.3% {G} 60.4% {R/G} 2.1% {U/R} 2.1% {B/G} 8.3% {G/U} 2.1% {M} 2.1% {artifact symbol} 10.4%
as of Fallout
Scryfall Search
type:"Insect"

Insect is a catch-all creature type used for crawling or flying little creatures and larger and/or humanoid variants. 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.

Types of insects

Imago

Larva

Artifact

Plagues

Amonkhet

Grixis

Banewasps are omnivorous insects that nest in reeflike hives that tower over Grixis's sea.[3] Banewasps prefer decaying flesh to other food and will swarm in great numbers in search of fresh corpses. However, sometimes the larvae feed on the flesh of zombies or living humans. Banewasps are poor sources of vis, but can be used by necromancers to animate fleshdolls.

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.[5][6]

Sapient insects

Dominaria

Emerald dragonflies

Emerald dragonflies 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.[7][8] 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.

Nantuko are also present in Kamigawa.[9] They were originally designed to replace the Orochi, but while the snake folk ultimately remained only one was printed, with no in-universe explanation or reference to its species.

Notable Nantuko include:

Innistrad

Although the plane of Innistrad has no known natural species of sentient insect, there have been cases documented of mad scientists delving into the dark arts and becoming nightmarish aberrations.

Kamigawa

Kamigawa has two races of intelligent insects. One are the white aligned giant moths, which form bonds with the samurai but are equals in their arrangement. The other are the species that Spring-Leaf Avenger is, which were intended to be Nantuko (see above), as introduced in Neon Dynasty.

Ravnica

Kraul

The sapient Kraul 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.[10] Highest in rank are the death priests, followed by the necromancers. The majority occupy various roles of soldiery, from commanders to the 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.[11]

Use of insects

Alara

Scarlet wasps are particularly deadly wasps that build huge nests in Naya's trees.[3] One sting can kill a medium-sized animal. Humans have cultivated an immunity to the sting of the scarlet wasp, and often build near their huge nests for protection. In small doses, the wasp toxin can be distilled into an elixir that provides humans with increased strength.

Dominaria

The Windgrace Acolytes of Urborg used trained insects, called gladehunters, to track down artifice and artificers alike.[12][13]

Kamigawa

Some samurai of Eiganjo on Kamigawa ride gigantic trained moths into combat.[14] Nezumi shamans are known to use incantations that summon and control insects, to swarm and distract their enemies.[15]

Ravnica

The Golgari Swarm of Ravnica ride bizarre insects called stiltstriders or longlegs, which are gangly, stilt-legged creatures as tall as a building.[11]

Shadowmoor

The Hobgoblins of Shadowmoor tame and ride giant cicadas into battle. (Hobgoblin Dragoon)

Tarkir

At the isolated Highspire Stronghold on Tarkir, monks 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.

Zendikar

Ventcrawlers are slow-moving arachnids the size of a car that enjoys feeding on the charred bodies of creatures caught in lava flows or deadly steam bursts. They have been domesticated by the Grotag tribe of goblins.[16]

The Grotag are also known to occasionally tame geopedes, a red-aligned giant centipede-like insect.[16]

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 and other Myriapoda are also considered insects.[17]

Notable Insects

Dominaria
Ikoria
Mirrodin/New Pyrexia
Ravnica
Unknown
Universes Beyond

Triva

Tokens

Token Name Color Type Line P/T Text Box Source Printings
Insect Black Creature — Insect 0/1
Black Creature — Insect 1/1
Black Creature — Insect 1/1 Flying
Green Creature — Insect 1/1
Green Creature — Insect 1/1 Flying, deathtouch
Green Creature — Insect 3/3
Green Creature — Insect 6/1 Shroud
Black/​Green Creature — Insect 1/1
Blue/​Red Creature — Insect 1/1 Flying, haste
Colorless Artifact Creature — Insect 1/1 Flying
Butterfly Green Creature — Insect 1/1 Flying
Hornet Colorless Artifact Creature — Insect 1/1 Flying, haste
Wasp Colorless Artifact Creature — Insect 1/1 Flying
Wirefly Colorless Artifact Creature — Insect 2/2 Flying
Alien Insect Green/​White Creature — Alien Insect 1/1 Flying
Phyrexian Insect Green Creature — Phyrexian Insect 1/1 Infect
Inchblade Companion White Artifact Creature — Equipment Insect 1/1 Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Reconfigure {2}
Giant Adephage Green Creature — Insect 7/7 Trample
Whenever Giant Adephage deals combat damage to a player, put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of Giant Adephage.
Scute Swarm Green Creature — Insect 1/1 Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, create a 1/1 green Insect creature token. If you control six or more lands, create a token that's a copy of Scute Swarm instead.
Test cards
Token Name Color Type Line P/T Text Box Source Printings
Insect Black Creature — Insect 1/1

Manlands

Manstones

References

  1. ↑ Magic Arcana (June 16, 2009). "Insects of Alara". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ a b c Doug Beyer & Jenna Helland (2008). A Planeswalker's Guide to Alara, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786951246
  4. ↑ Michael Yichao (June 21, 2017). "The Hour of Glory". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ Doug Beyer (February 02, 2011). "A Linguistic Look at Besieged". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ Doug Beyer (March 16, 2011). "Six Secrets Behind the Sets". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Will McDermott (May 27, 2002). "Caught in the Mirari's Wake, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ Magic Arcana (March 18, 2004). "Odyssey style guide: Nantuko". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. ↑ Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Worldbuilding (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (February 17, 2022).
  10. ↑ Nicky Drayden (November 7, 2018). "Death's Precious Moments". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. ↑ a b James Wyatt (January 2019). "The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Ravnica". Wizards of the Coast
  12. ↑ Scott McGough (2006), "Time Spiral", Wizards of the Coast
  13. ↑ James Wyatt (2018), The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Dominaria. VIZ Media.
  14. ↑ Magic Arcana (April 14, 2005). "Kamigawa Style Guide: Moth Mounts". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. ↑ Magic Arcana (July 05, 2005). "A Couple of Misers". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. ↑ a b Magic Creative Team (December 16, 2009). "A Planeswalker’s Guide to Zendikar: Goblins". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  17. ↑ Magic Arcana (December 02, 2002). "Sketches: Symbiotic Beast". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  18. ↑ Magic Arcana (March 15, 2007). "Planar Chaos Token Art 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022.
 
Multicolored {M}
Majority {W}
Majority {U}
Majority {B}
Majority {R}
Majority {G}
Majority {C}
Majority Token
Crossover
 
Notable Races
Notable Classes
Other
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