[Antipodean Andy]

H.M.S. Falcon - Royal Navy Gunboats in China and the Far East - excellent website
As the world situation deteriorated all of the Insect Class gunboats in China steamed for Hong Kong. In late 1939 Aphis and Ladybird left for Singapore. In February of 1940, Gnat and Cockchafer were withdrawn from the Yangtze and set off for Singapore, followed by Scarab in July, Cricket in October and Tarantula in December.

The two remaining Insect Class ships, Moth and Cicala, continued in the Hong Kong area as the Japanese entered the war. HMS Moth was damaged on December 12, 1941 and was probably submerged with HMS Margaret when the dry-dock they were in was intentionally flooded. She was salvaged by the Japanese on July 1, 1942 under the name "HIJMS Suma" and put into service as a Japanese gunboat on the Yangtze. On March 19, 1945 she was sunk by a US laid mine on the Yangtze near Nanking. HMS Cicala was crippled on December 21, 1941 by four drive bomb attacks that scored three direct hits. She soon thereafter sank (probably being scuttled) in the West Lamma Channel (vicinity of Hong Kong). During the invasion of Hong Kong she had been subject to no less than 60 dive bomb attacks.

The six remaining Insect Class vessels (HMS Aphis, HMS Cockchafer, HMS Cricket, HMS Gnat, HMS Ladybird and HMS Scarab) were stripped down and towed or steamed to the Mediterranean where they fought during WWII.