It is generally accepted that current practices of food production will not be able to sustain the projected ten billion people by 2050. There is a growing international realization that insects can be a viable alternate source of protein. Nearly 200 companies worldwide are developing methodologies to facility-rear insects. Most companies rearing insects are species-centric. They focus on rearing specific species such as mealworms or crickets irrespective of their habitat of origin. In contrast, this project uses a novel habitat-centric approach. Its goal is to develop technologies and processes to mass rear representative insects of five different common habitats (detritus, woodland, grassland, agricultural waste and semi-arid environment habitats). Once these are developed, it will be possible to set up a rearing facility anywhere in the world with a similar habitat and convergent species. Virtually all facility reared insects use the feed-lot approach where food is brought to the insects. This project will also test the efficacy of the feed-lot versus free-range approaches to rearing insects as food. Free-range insects are reared and harvested from agricultural fields. We will maximize the use of waste streams as insect feed to minimize environmental impact, use local insect species to minimize establishment of invasive species and ecological damage should the insects escape and use local host plants to minimize competition with plant production for human consumption and introduction of invasive exotic plants. We have initiated all five habitat components and are requesting funds to acquire pilot data on their efficiency and feasibility.