Pyriproxyfen in 2025: The Juvenile Hormone Mimic Shaping Global Pest Control Strategies

1. Current Regulatory Status & Key Applications

As a juvenile hormone analog (IRAC Group 7C), pyriproxyfen remains a critical tool in 2025 for:

• Public Health: WHO-recommended for Aedes aegypti (dengue/Zika vector) control

• Agriculture: Key uses in citrus (California red scale), cotton (whiteflies), and stored grains

• Regional Restrictions:

  • EU: Approved for greenhouse vegetables only (Commission Regulation 2024/891)

  • USA: Expanded FIFRA Section 18 emergency use for invasive spotted lanternfly

  
  

2. Scientific Mechanism & Advantages

• Mode of Action: Disrupts insect metamorphosis by mimicking JH III hormone

• Unique Benefits:

  • Non-toxic to adults: Targets larvae/pupae only (LD₅₀ >5,000 mg/kg for mammals)

  • Long residual activity: 60–90 days in water-holding containers (mosquito control)

  • IPM-Compatible: Preserves parasitoid wasps (e.g., Encarsia formosa)

  
  

3. 2025 Application Protocols

4. Emerging Resistance & Management

• Resistance Hotspots:

  • Florida (mosquitoes: CYP9J26 gene overexpression)

  • Brazil (whiteflies: 18% reduced sensitivity in Bahia state)

  
  

• Antiresistance Strategies:

  • Tank mixes: Combine with Bt israelensis for mosquitoes

  • Rotation: Alternate with buprofezin (Group 16) in agriculture

  
  

5. Safety & Environmental Profile

• Ecotoxicity:

  • Bees: Practically non-toxic (EPA "Reduced Risk" designation)

  • Aquatic: LC₅₀ >1mg/L for fish (safer than temephos)

  
  

• Regulatory Updates:

  • China: New 7-day PHI for tea plantations

  • Australia: First drone-assisted applications in mangrove breeding sites

  
  

FAQ: Pyriproxyfen in 2025

Q: How does it compare to conventional larvicides?

More persistent than temephos (3× longer efficacy) but slower-acting (5–7 days to see mortality).

Q: Can resistance be reversed?

Yes – 3-year suspension restored susceptibility in Thai mosquito populations (NIH 2024 study).

Q: Any organic alternatives?

Spinosad (Group 5) for agriculture; Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes for public health.

Key Action Points

1. Public Health: Deploy autocidal gravid ovitraps with pyriproxyfen in urban outbreaks

2. Agriculture: Use trunk injection to protect pollinators (EU-compliant method)

3. Monitoring: Test for esterase enzyme levels in target pests annually

Global Watch: India's new National Mosquito Control Policy (June 2025) mandates pyriproxyfen in all dengue hotspots.