Societal impact statement Maize varieties producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have become an important component of integrated pest management worldwide. For regulatory approval of such plants, risks to the environment need to be assessed. To make such assessments less expensive and time‐consuming, conclusions drawn from data collected in one region could be used in regulatory submissions in other regions. By comparing published data of invertebrates recorded in Bt maize field experiments worldwide, we contribute to the discussion of data transportability across continents. The results are of value to regulatory authorities throughout the world and ultimately of benefit to growers and consumers. Summary - For insecticidal crops, adverse effects on non‐target invertebrates including beneficial decomposers, predators, and parasitoids are of particular concern. This work focuses on data transportability across continents by comparing non‐target invertebrate data from published Bt maize field studies. - Data derived from a comprehensive global database were summarized for taxonomic composition and subjected to meta‐analyses considering taxonomy, Bt maize target insect order, and ecological functional group. Each dataset represents a replicated comparison of an invertebrate population recorded in Bt maize with the respective population in non‐Bt (control) maize. - Taxonomic composition at order or higher taxonomic level was comparable across continents. Meta‐analyses revealed that most analyzed invertebrates were equally abundant in Bt and non‐Bt maize, while robust adverse effects were only observed on specialized parasitoids of target pests. The conclusions drawn from the North American data were confirmed for Europe and Asia.- - The similarity of species communities at order level as well as outcomes of meta‐analyses across continents indicate that conclusions from field studies are generally transportable across geographies. High‐quality, well‐designed, well‐described, and independent studies from multiple locations and years, and open‐access data availability (transparency), increase trust in the conclusions drawn and the usefulness for submissions to multiple regulatory systems.
