there's a few other things that people have mentioned for /u/SuzyBerhow to improve based on the hunting monsters series:
the red buff is the single most important thing to have with the glaive, it literally DOUBLES your DPS. it ALWAYS comes from the monster's head.
the orange buff stops you flinching from small attacks (you usually get it from the body and tail
the white buff makes you move slightly faster and jump higher, but it's main use is to increase the buffs of the red and orange buffs, it's usually obtained from the monsters legs and wings
red+white is an attack buff, fairly simple.
white+orange is more interesting, you get a defense buff and it allows you to avoid most monster roars.
red+white+orange is known as "Golden Boy Mode", you get all the benefits of red, white, orange, Red+white, and white+orange, but you get EVEN MORE attack and defense (roughly a 25% buff to attack, 36% to defense)
green buff comes from the tail tips or wing talons and other assorted parts. it heals you a little. it's pretty much useless.
R+X sends out your kinsect in the direction your hunter is facing.
R+A calls it back.
R releases a pheromone shot (VERY minor damage), whilst the pheromone shot is active, launching your kinsect will result in he kinsect flying to the point where the pheromone is at when you press R+X (in a straight line, the kinsect will not curve to reach the pheromone)
holding R+X whilst the kinsect is on your arm will charge the kinsect to do a strong attack (about a 3s charge time)
pressing R+B makes you do a pole vault, if you press X or A in the air you will do an air attack to mount the monster
pressing R in midair will make you do a pheromone shot. the kickback from the shot will keep you in the air a little longer, not too useful but can save your life if you're about to fall into something bad
the "usual" combo that people use when they have the red buff is X>X>A>repeat
the MOST IMPORTANT THING about insect glaive is to get the red buff, even more important than attacking, the whole weapon is based around having the red buff, not using the red buff is like using a switch axe without morphing, a greatsword or hammer without charging, dual swords without demon mode, or a horn without songs.