The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word CRICKETS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
C
R
I
C
K
E
T
S
More clues leading to the result CRICKETS
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "insects" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case insects = crickets.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CRICKETS mean?
CRICKETS noun- An insect in the order Orthoptera, especially family Gryllidae, that makes a chirping sound by rubbing its wing casings against combs on its hind legs.
- A wooden footstool.
- A signalling device used by soldiers in hostile territory to identify themselves to a friendly in low visibility conditions.
- A relatively small area of a roof constructed to divert water from a horizontal intersection of the roof with a chimney, wall, expansion joint or other projection.