Humans are often compared to insects within fantasy worlds. After all, the thing about humans is their ability to adapt to any environment. 

However, this is WRONG!

While humans may be able to survive in most environments that does not make them akin to insects. Insects are specialized in their environment. Some go through metamorphosis and they usually become uniquely specialized to their location. Do you know what fits this description? Elves. 

Within 5e there are 14 subraces of elves, each specialized to its own environment. Drow are acclimated to the caves of the Underdark, Sea elves the water, Shadar-Kai the Shadowfell, Wood-elves the deep forest thickets. Eladrins go through seasonal metamorphosis for crying out loud! A lot of the abilities that they get are specialized to their unique environment too. I could get into the variance within their skin tones that allow them to be better suited to their environment, but at this point that feels a bit like I’d be beating a dead horse. 

Humans within 5e have 6 subraces, 4 of which are dragonmarks. Now I fully understand that being called an insect is more of an insult used to belittle humans or whatever other thing it would be referred to. It could be people, goblins, whatever else. However! Physiologically I think Elves may be more like insects than we think. 

Now I'm not saying that they are descended from bugs, they are clearly descended from fey. I’m just saying that there are more elves than there are schools of magic.

With that out of the way, let's talk about Dragonborn...

Insects tend to produce large amounts of young with small survival ratings and tend to not live for more than a handful of years..... Elves not so much.

There's an estimated 6-10 million species of insects of astounding variety in existance, but even if other kinds of animals have orders of magnitude less variety (fish 32,000; birds 10,000) it's not like environmental specialization is specific to insects. Adaptation is a cornerstone of evolution, after all. "Like insects" just seems like a weird comparison because elves still all look like elves - they're instantly recognizeable as such regardless of what kind of elf they are. Insects, not so much - caterpillars are insects. And elves can interbreed, insects can"t. 

I.. don't think an elf comparing a human to an insect would have anything to do with humans being adapted to their evironment... Pretty much all animals adapt to their evironment, human and elves included. To an elf a human is prolly like an insect in the sense that elves view humans as lesser beings, there are a ton of em and they don't live long enough to take notice of the individual.

Quote from pangurjan >>

There's an estimated 6-10 million species of insects of astounding variety in existance, but even if other kinds of animals have orders of magnitude less variety (fish 32,000; birds 10,000) it's not like environmental specialization is specific to insects. Adaptation is a cornerstone of evolution, after all. "Like insects" just seems like a weird comparison because elves still all look like elves - they're instantly recognizeable as such regardless of what kind of elf they are. Insects, not so much - caterpillars are insects. And elves can interbreed, insects can"t. 

 While I agree with Elves not being comparable to insects, I'm not sure interbreeding is really the best example. It's fantasy, and creatures that really should not even be able to ever conceive regularly have children. I'm not sure that there is anything that can't interbreed in D&D.

Quote from MamasToast >>

I.. don't think an elf comparing a human to an insect would have anything to do with humans being adapted to their evironment... Pretty much all animals adapt to their evironment, human and elves included. To an elf a human is prolly like an insect in the sense that elves view humans as lesser beings, there are a ton of em and they don't live long enough to take notice of the individual.

 I don't think Elves are meant to look on humans as lesser beings in the way humans may look on ants as lesser beings.  I think Elves are meant to look on humans like adult humans look on children: humans just aren't old enough to really understand the true nature of reality, or think practically, or have proper common sense; etc. - and the most unfortunate thing about them (humans) is that they never will be old enough either, because they die around the time they really get close to being of an age that can even begin to comprehend things as even a 'young' Elf would.

The main reason humans are seen like insects or such as, is because similar to some insects like locusts we tend to spread out and consume resources to detrimental levels without concern for nature and when resources become low we just spread out more, sweeping across consuming everything and giving little back.

The derogatory, but apt, description has nothing to do with lifespan or adaptations. It's just our behaviour. 

Elves, which balance themselves with nature, aren't remotely like insects at all.

You missed the point.

Quote from Cyb3rM1nd >>

The main reason humans are seen like insects or such as, is because similar to some insects like locusts we tend to spread out and consume resources to detrimental levels without concern for nature and when resources become low we just spread out more, sweeping across consuming everything and giving little back.

The derogatory, but apt, description has nothing to do with lifespan or adaptations. It's just our behaviour. 

Elves, which balance themselves with nature, aren't remotely like insects at all.

You missed the point.

 I agree except that I think lifespan is an implication of the comparison as well. A shorter lifespan makes a species more short-sighted and ambitious to accomplish things in the short span of time they have available. You could argue that this is a major driver of the behavior issues.