Insecticides are a type of pesticide. They are chemicals used to kill insects and can be organic or inorganic. They are primarily manufactured but sometimes derived from plants. Insecticides work by disrupting vital processes through chemical action. They are classified according to their action, such as stomach poisons, contact poisons, repellents, fumgants, and insect growth regulators. In addition, timing of applying insecticides, location of application, type and amount of application are important to their effectiveness.
There are over 10,000 chemical formulations of insecticides and pesticides. These include many government restricted dangerous insecticides, including many chlorinated hydrocarbons such as DDT, benzene hexachloride, lindane, aldrin, and heavy metals such as lead and mercury. Due to their highly toxic nature, numerous concerns about toxicity to humans, animals, plant life and the environment exist. As a result, the Federal Environmental Protection Pesticide Control, as amended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in1972 has resulted in increased efforts to obtain data regarding toxicity to unintended life forms, persistence in the environment, and immediate chronic impact to the environment.
Concerns over both the immediate and long term effects of using chemical insecticides have led to biological alternatives. These include using predators, parasites and pathogens to kill insects, using sterilized male insects to compete with fertile males for mates, and using synthetic insect hormones to disrupt vital processes such as growth. However, given their inherently slow and selective activity, they can be economically unaffordable to farmers who sometimes integrate them with traditional chemical pest control programs.
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