What is the Use of Insecticide Spray? A Pest Control Guide

Insecticide spray is a versatile tool designed to eliminate or repel harmful pests, playing a crucial role in both household and commercial settings.

Its main uses include:

• Protecting Human Health: Many pests, such as mosquitoes and ticks, carry diseases like malaria and Lyme disease. Insecticide sprays target these vectors, reducing the risk of infection (World Health Organization, WHO).
• Safeguarding Food Supplies: Farmers and gardeners use sprays to protect crops from destructive insects like aphids and caterpillars, preventing yield losses of up to 30% in unprotected fields (Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO).
• Maintaining Hygienic Environments: In homes, restaurants, and hospitals, sprays eliminate bacteria-spreading pests such as cockroaches, flies, and ants, ensuring clean surroundings (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC).

Different uses often require different types of insecticide sprays. To better utilize insecticide sprays in pest control, it is crucial to understand common types of insecticides and their applicable scenarios.

Insecticide sprays have different characteristics and applicable scenarios based on their formulations. Here are the common types classified by formulation:

Oil-based insecticides use mineral oil or vegetable oil as solvents, featuring strong adhesion and a long-lasting effect. Because oil substances can better penetrate the body walls of pests, they are highly effective in controlling pests with waxy coatings on their bodies (such as scale insects and red spiders). However, they have a relatively strong odor and high flammability.

Extra caution is needed when used in high-temperature environments or confined spaces. They are generally more suitable for outdoor gardening or industrial sites (Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, CAAS; Entomological Society of America, ESA).

Alcohol-based insecticidal aerosols use alcohols such as ethanol as the main solvent, with the advantages of fast volatility and quick effect. After spraying, they can quickly diffuse throughout the space, showing outstanding effects in killing flying pests like flies and mosquitoes.

However, their duration of effect is relatively short, and ethanol has a certain pungent odor, which may have an impact on some sensitive people or indoor precision instruments. They are more suitable for temporary and rapid space disinfection, such as emergency treatment during sudden pest infestations in families (Pesticide Action Network, PAN).

Water-based insecticidal aerosols use water as the main solvent, characterized by good environmental friendliness, low odor, and high safety. Since they contain no or only a small amount of organic solvents, they have little irritation to the human body and the environment, making them suitable for use in densely populated places or where high safety is required, such as families, hospitals, and schools.

Meanwhile, water-based aerosols can also be well compatible with various active ingredients, and formulations targeting different pests can be prepared as needed. However, their adhesion and duration of effect are relatively weaker than oil-based ones, and their effect may be affected when used in humid environments (National Center for Quality Supervision and Inspection of Pesticides, NCPQC; Environmental Protection Agency, EPA).

Choosing the right insecticide spray requires considering the environmental characteristics of the scenario, the type of target pests, and safety requirements. Here is a specific selection guide for different scenarios:

The core needs of household scenarios are high safety, low odor, and friendliness to humans and pets, while dealing with common pests such as cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, and ants.

• Priority is given to water-based insecticidal aerosols: They use water as a solvent, have low irritation and a mild odor, and are suitable for spaces where people stay for a long time, especially families with the elderly, children, or pets. For example, spraying in the kitchen can reduce the risk of contamination to food and tableware.
• Avoid oil-based insecticides: They have a strong odor and are flammable, may cause oil stains on furniture surfaces, and are not suitable for closed indoor environments.
• Alcohol-based ones can be chosen for emergency treatment: If a large number of flies and mosquitoes suddenly appear, alcohol-based aerosols can be used for quick elimination in the short term, but attention should be paid to ventilation to avoid odor residue (National Pest Management Association, NPMA).

Outdoor scenarios need to deal with plant pests such as aphids, scale insects, red spiders, and caterpillars, and require long-lasting effect and resistance to wind and rain.

• Prefer oil-based insecticides: They have strong adhesion and long-lasting effect, can penetrate the waxy layer on the surface of pests, and have a significant effect on stubborn pests such as scale insects and red spiders. They also have strong resistance to rain erosion, making them suitable for spraying on flowers, fruit trees, and other plants (Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, CAAS; Royal Horticultural Society, RHS).
• Use water-based ones as an auxiliary: If the yard is close to the living area or has environmental protection requirements, water-based insecticides can be used together to conduct regular control of easily eliminated pests such as aphids, reducing the impact on soil and water sources.

Commercial places have extremely high requirements for safety, environmental protection, and compliance, and need to balance pest control effects and public health.

• Hospitals and schools: Mandatory selection of water-based insecticides: Their low toxicity and low irritation characteristics meet the hygiene standards of such places, can be used in classrooms, wards, and other areas to control pests such as mosquitoes and cockroaches, and will not damage medical equipment or teaching equipment (World Health Organization, WHO).
• Restaurants and food processing plants: Strictly limited to water-based ones: It is necessary to choose water-based aerosols that meet food-grade safety standards to avoid contact between insecticides and food. At the same time, focus on controlling cockroaches in the kitchen and flies near sewers. Thorough ventilation is required after spraying (Food and Drug Administration, FDA).
• Warehouses and logistics areas: Oil-based ones can be used: If storing non-food goods (such as clothes, hardware) and needing long-term control of clothes moths, storage pests, the long-lasting effect of oil-based ones can reduce the frequency of frequent spraying, but they need to be kept away from fire sources.

Industrial scenarios may face complex types of pests (such as rodent-associated insects, wood pests), open spaces, or the presence of mechanical equipment, so it is necessary to balance the effect and compatibility with equipment4.Pest Control Challenges and Solutions

Pest control is not without challenges, and understanding how to overcome them is key to long-term success.

Over time, pests may develop resistance to certain insecticides, making them less effective. This is particularly common with frequent use of the same active ingredient.

• Solution: Rotate between insecticides with different modes of action. For example, alternate between pyrethroid-based and neonicotinoid-based sprays to reduce the risk of resistance (Entomological Society of America, ESA).
• Integration with non-chemical methods: Combine insecticide use with traps, physical barriers, or biological controls (such as introducing natural predators) to minimize reliance on chemicals.

Some insecticides, especially oil-based ones, may have adverse effects on non-target organisms like bees, birds, and aquatic life if overused.

• Solution: Choose EPA-registered low-risk insecticides, apply them in targeted areas (avoiding flowering plants where bees forage), and follow recommended dosage guidelines (Environmental Protection Agency, EPA).
• Timing matters: Spray during times when non-target organisms are less active, such as early morning or late evening for outdoor applications.

Pests like termites, bed bugs, or cockroaches often hide in hard-to-reach areas (e.g., wall voids, under floorboards), making detection and treatment difficult.

• Solution: Use insecticides with residual effects in cracks and crevices, and combine with monitoring tools like glue traps to track pest activity (National Pest Management Association, NPMA).
• Professional inspection: For severe or recurring infestations, hire licensed pest control professionals who can use advanced tools (e.g., thermal imaging) to locate hidden pests.