Preventing the next invasion: Lessons from aquaculture for the safe expansion of insect farming

Insect farming is rapidly emerging as a sustainable alternative to conventional livestock, praised for its lower environmental impact and potential to enhance food system resilience. Yet, the ecological risks of large-scale insect cultivation remain underexamined—especially the threat of biological invasions following unintentional escapes. This synthesis examines current knowledge of invasion pathways from both terrestrial and aquatic farming systems, drawing on the well-documented case of aquaculture to identify lessons for the insect farming sector. We highlight shared risk factors across sectors, including the widespread farming of species with invasive traits, production outside native ranges and insufficient management frameworks. Aquaculture of crustaceans, as a close taxonomic and ecological analogue, illustrates how poorly managed industrial growth can result in significant ecological and economic costs. Policy implications: We argue that preemptive risk assessments, species screening and transferable, adaptive regulatory frameworks developed for aquaculture offer a critical foundation for safeguarding against insect-driven invasions. Proactive governance that embeds these safeguards before large-scale expansion offers a rare opportunity to prevent invasion outcomes observed in other farmed taxa and to guide the insect farming sector towards genuinely sustainable growth. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.