A global database of insect traits and anthropogenic associations
Abstract
Insect research remains hindered by limited data availability and fragmented knowledge compared to other, better-documented taxonomic groups. Yet, both the macroecological and insect research communities highlight the need to integrate large-scale ecological trait datasets for insects. Insects and humans are interconnected through diverse relationships, ranging from beneficial interactions, such as the use of insects as nutritional resources, to adverse impacts, including their role in biological invasions. Understanding the traits of insects associated with human activities is therefore important for linking insects to ecosystem function and global change. We present AnthropInsect , one of the largest database on insect traits to date, which uniquely includes variables describing human-insect associations. AnthropInsect describes species through 35 variables grouped into five categories: (i) taxonomic descriptors; (ii) ecological descriptors (native bioregions and habitat); (iii) human-insect associations (edibility and invasive status); (iv) functional traits (behavior, morphology, life history and feeding); (v) and macroecological descriptors of native-range geography and climate. AnthropInsect currently includes 5855 species across six major orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera and Blattodea. Data extracted from peer-reviewed, grey literature and from existing databases were standardized and validated with expert knowledge to ensure accuracy. By providing traits data with information on insect–human interactions, this rigorously curated resource supports global research in entomology, ecology, conservation, and global change.
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BibTeX
@article{manfrini2026global,
title = {{A global database of insect traits and anthropogenic associations}},
author = {E. Manfrini and N. Sauvion and P-O. Maquart and L. Legal and Olivier Blight and E. Duquesne and C. Hanot and A. Bang and B. Geslin and F R Goebel and D. Fournier and Å. Berggren and M. Javal and E. Angulo and Sylvain Pincebourde and Marie Zakardjian and J-F. Vayssière and D. Renault and C. Le Lann and S a P Derocles and B. Leroy and F. Courchamp},
journal = {Scientific Data},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1038/s41597-026-07946-1},
url = {https://u-picardie.hal.science/hal-05766703v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A global database of insect traits and anthropogenic associations
AU - E. Manfrini
AU - N. Sauvion
AU - P-O. Maquart
AU - L. Legal
AU - Olivier Blight
AU - E. Duquesne
AU - C. Hanot
AU - A. Bang
AU - B. Geslin
AU - F R Goebel
AU - D. Fournier
AU - Å. Berggren
AU - M. Javal
AU - E. Angulo
AU - Sylvain Pincebourde
AU - Marie Zakardjian
AU - J-F. Vayssière
AU - D. Renault
AU - C. Le Lann
AU - S a P Derocles
AU - B. Leroy
AU - F. Courchamp
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/04
JO - Scientific Data
DO - 10.1038/s41597-026-07946-1
UR - https://u-picardie.hal.science/hal-05766703v1
AB - Insect research remains hindered by limited data availability and fragmented knowledge compared to other, better-documented taxonomic groups. Yet, both the macroecological and insect research communities highlight the need to integrate large-scale ecological trait datasets for insects. Insects and humans are interconnected through diverse relationships, ranging from beneficial interactions, such as the use of insects as nutritional resources, to adverse impacts, including their role in biological invasions. Understanding the traits of insects associated with human activities is therefore important for linking insects to ecosystem function and global change. We present AnthropInsect , one of the largest database on insect traits to date, which uniquely includes variables describing human-insect associations. AnthropInsect describes species through 35 variables grouped into five categories: (i) taxonomic descriptors; (ii) ecological descriptors (native bioregions and habitat); (iii) human-insect associations (edibility and invasive status); (iv) functional traits (behavior, morphology, life history and feeding); (v) and macroecological descriptors of native-range geography and climate. AnthropInsect currently includes 5855 species across six major orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera and Blattodea. Data extracted from peer-reviewed, grey literature and from existing databases were standardized and validated with expert knowledge to ensure accuracy. By providing traits data with information on insect–human interactions, this rigorously curated resource supports global research in entomology, ecology, conservation, and global change.
SN - 2052-4463
ER -