Active Ingredients in Insecticide

Insecticides use many different active ingredients to reduce the number of pests in a given environment. Some are designed to kill the adults while others are designed to make juvenile insects infertile. The need for several different options for insect control stems from the inability to safely kill all insects with a single compound.

Chlorpyrifos, also known as Dursban, is a toxic compound that kills a wide variety of common pests such as cockroaches either through contact or ingestion of the poison. This is a popular chemical used in residential treatment of roaches and other pests due to its relatively long residual life, meaning that it will stay active for several weeks after application.

Diazinon is a broad-spectrum organophosphate toxin commonly used in household gardens that works much the same way as chlorpyrifos, through contact or ingestion. It is effective against fleas, roaches, silverfish and ants. It is currently banned in the U.S. for residential use due to its toxicity to humans. It is still approved for use in agricultural applications.

Pyrethrin is a natural and safe compound that can be used safely around household pets (it is the common active ingredient in many flea and tick preparations), and in food gardens. Many commercial farms use pyrethrin-based insecticides in crops intended for human consumption. Pyrethrin is not very effective in killing insects directly; however, when combined with a synergist compound, it becomes lethal to insects.

Resmethrin is a synthetic version of pyrethrin and works in much the same manner. The main target of this compound is mosquito populations, and it is introduced into stagnant bodies of water such as ponds and lakes.

Piperonyl Butoxide is not considered an insecticide; however it is a synergist when combined with pyrethrin, resmethrin or other pyrethrin/pyrethroid compounds, boosting the efficacy of these compounds.