Etofenprox

Target Pests

Mosquitoes (adult and larval), rice pests, vegetable pests, stored product pests, flies, gnats. Broad-spectrum contact and ingestion insecticide effective against most flying and crawling insects.

Products and Brand Names

Trebon (Mitsui Chemicals - the original brand), Zenivex (mosquito adulticide for public health programs), Vectobac plus etofenprox combinations, various agricultural formulations. Limited consumer products in the US.

Safety and Precautions

Lower mammalian toxicity than most pyrethroids. The key advantage is dramatically reduced fish and aquatic toxicity compared to true pyrethroids like bifenthrin or permethrin. This makes it preferred for mosquito control programs near waterways.

Pro Tips

Why not a pyrethroid: Despite acting exactly like a pyrethroid at the nerve level, etofenprox has a different chemical structure (ether vs ester bond). This structural difference is why fish can metabolize and detoxify it much more efficiently than true pyrethroids.

Mosquito control: Used as an adulticide in ULV (ultra-low volume) truck-mounted and aerial spray programs. Provides excellent mosquito knockdown with a better environmental profile than permethrin or sumithrin in aquatic-adjacent areas.

Cross-resistance: Because etofenprox targets the same sodium channel as pyrethroids, insects with pyrethroid resistance (kdr mutations) may also show reduced susceptibility to etofenprox. This limits its usefulness in areas with established pyrethroid resistance.

🐛 Pests This Treats — Learn More

Click any pest to view its full identification guide, biology, and treatment options.

🌿 Environmental & Ecological Impact

🔄 Alternatives & Related Products

Same chemical class or different approaches to the same pests.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions