Antimicrobial peptides isolated from insects and their potential applications

•The recent advances of antimicrobial peptides isolated from insects were reviewed.•Characterization and mechanisms of AMPs from various insect Orders were summarized.•The most studied insect Orders were Hymenoptera, followed by Diptera and Coleoptera.•A list of AMPs, methods for characterization, and bacteria tested were catalogued.•A pictorial summary of the procedures for AMPs extraction and isolation was provided.