Read more about Insecticons (Prime) at: Wikipedia

Official Site: Hasbro

Insecticons is the name given to a sub-group of fictional characters in the Transformers universes, referred to as Insectrons in the Japanese version. They are a unique group of Decepticons who transform into insects.

The three original Insecticon toys were based on Diaclone toys made by Takara in 1984. They were named among the top selling toys in 1985 by Playthings magazine. Each of the basic Insecticons had a way to control other robots.

There is a second team of Insecticons known as the Deluxe Insecticons. Venom, the leader, turns into a Cicada. Other deluxe insecticons include: Barrage (who turns into a Japanese rhinoceros beetle), Chopshop (who turns into a Stag Beetle), and Ransack (who turns into a Grasshopper). In 2004, the Japanese company eHobby released the original Insecticons molds together in their original Diaclone colors as Insecticon clones. Each set of 3 came with 3 energon cube. The clone are Shothole (a Clone of Kickback), Salvo (a Clone of Bombshell), and Zaptrap (a Clone of Shrapnel).

Originally, the Insecticons were three Decepticon that Megatron had left onboard his ship, the Nemesis, which was pursuing the Ark, as back-up. When the Nemesis crashed on Earth, the trio evacuated in an escape pod, which crashed in an Indonesian swamp. In order to survive, they scanned the forms of the surrounding area's insects. The insect forms they adopted enabled them to extract energon from organic life and metals, though they still ingest fossil fuels and energy-based matter (electricity, energon cubes, etc.) as well. Because they took on the forms of insects the size of Transformers, the three Insecticons caused terror for any humans living nearby. They even developed the ability to make clones of themselves out of any metal.

Insecticons (Prime) has not been a contender in any CBUB matches.