The Insecticons were with the original Decepticon army on board the Nemesis when it attacked the Ark, but were instructed by Megatron to stay on board and manage the ship while the rest of the Decepticons boarded the Autobot vessel. Damage inflicted to the Nemesis by the Ark caused it to crash, shortly after the Ark went down, and the Insecticons bailed out. However, they were renered inert by the unstable Energon fields on the planet at the time, and only reawakened four million years later at the same time as the other Autobots and Decepticons, having been given insectoid forms, presumably by their internal computers.

The Decepticons quickly recruited the Insecticons to their cause, although over the years, they have proved less than trustworthy, even once putting the Decepticons under mind-control.

The three Insecticons, Bombshell, Kickback, and Shrapnel, have their own special abilities, as detailed below. All three Insecticons have the ability to chew through all known materials, by converting its mass into energy for them to feed on. Occasionally, the excess energy created in this process has been converted into Energon Cubes by the Decepticons. The Insecticons are able to create and control innumerable clones of themselves, sometimes referred to as "drones", by having Bombshell energize fragments from Shrapnel's shrapnel grenades. The same process can restore damaged Insecticons to full health.

BOMBSHELL

Bombshell resembles a beetle in Insecticon mode. In this mode, he can shoot microscopic shells, which attach themselves to his target, and link to their central nervous system, allowing Bombshell to control their actions. However, should the shell be removed, the target regains their free will, and the shell can also be used to trace Bombshell's whereabouts. It is unclear, but command of the Insecticons may belong to Bombshell.

KICKBACK

Kickback resembles a cricket in Insecticon mode. In both this mode and robot mode, his pneumatically enhanced legs can deliver powerful kicks. He provides the Insecticons with muscle, and is clearly not the leader of the group.

SHRAPNEL

Shrapnel resembles a stag beetle in Insecticon mode.Using his mandibles, Shrapnel is able to control electricity, shooting it out in controlled bursts. In robot mode, he is armed with a shrapnel grenade launcher. Shrapnel has been seen to regularly give commands to the other Insecticons, and is generally viewed as their leader, although it has occasionally seemed as though Bombshell may be commander.

At the Autobot City Massacre of 2005, the Insecticons and their clones were used to chew their way through the City's defences. Shrapnel (and possibly a Shrapnel clone or two) recieved damage from Kup, Hot Rod, and Optimus Prime himself. Kickback was also seen to be shot down by Prime. Bombshell also recieved injuries, but who inflicted them is unknown. On the return journey to Cybertron, the Insecticons and their wounded clones were dumped into space along with the other injured Decepticons, and taken in by the planet-eater, Unicron. Unicron transformed Megatron into Galvatron and Thundercracker and Skywarp into Scourge and Cyclonus. Bombshell was transformed into a clone of Cyclonus, dubbed "his armada", while Shrapnel and Kickback were transformed into the Sweeps, clones and henchmen of Scourge.

What little further information there is on the armada and the Sweeps can be found Cyclonus's and Scourge's profiles.