Insects as food for insectivores

A variety of commercially raised insect species are commonly fed to captive insectivores. We review their nutrient content and compare those values to the data available for wild-caught insects. These data are discussed in light of the nutrient requirements for domestic animals to identify nutrients of concern for captive insectivores. Additionally, various environmental and dietary factors which can significantly affect insect nutrient composition are reviewed. We then evaluate the various techniques that are currently used to enhance the nutrient content of commercially bred insects including gut loading, dusting and modifying the composition of the insect through dietary changes. Lastly possible safety considerations including pathogens, pathogenic microorganisms, toxins, and antinutritional factors that might be important factors when feeding captive insectivores are discussed.