insecticide, any toxic substance that is used to kill insects. Such substances are used primarily to control pests that infest cultivated plants or to eliminate disease-carrying insects in specific areas.

Insecticides can accumulate in the environment and pose a threat to both wildlife and humans. Learn more about the benefits and problems of insecticide use.

Dec 19, 2025 · DDT, a synthetic insecticide that belongs to the family of organic halogen compounds and is highly toxic toward a variety of insects as a contact poison that apparently exerts its effects by …

The use of certain pesticides is controversial. The insecticide DDT, for example, which came into wide use in the 1940s, was later heavily restricted in the United States and elsewhere because of its …

DDT is an insecticide that caused severe declines in bird and fish populations. Its use was restricted in the U.S. in 1972.

The use of certain pesticides is controversial. The insecticide DDT, for example, which came into wide use in the 1940s, was later heavily restricted in the United States and elsewhere because of its …

The use of certain pesticides is controversial. The insecticide DDT, for example, which came into wide use in the 1940s, was later heavily restricted in the United States and elsewhere because of its …

The three major segments of an insect body are the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. The head contains the insect’s antennas, mouthparts, and eyes. The adults of many species have two kinds of …

The synthetic contact insecticides are now the primary agents of insect control. In general they penetrate insects readily and are toxic to a wide range of species.

Soil fumigants commonly used as nematocides are methyl bromide, dichloropropane, propylene oxide, dibromochloropropane, organophosphate insecticides, and chloropicrin.