Permethrin is a synthetic insecticide designed to mimic natural compounds found in chrysanthemum flowers. It functions as a neurotoxin, disrupting insect nervous systems, leading to paralysis and death. It is widely used for its effectiveness against a broad range of insect pests.
Consumer and Personal Use Products
Permethrin is an active ingredient in many household and personal pest control products. Sprays and foggers target common pests like ants, cockroaches, spiders, and fleas. These products treat premises to create a barrier against invading insects.
Outdoor enthusiasts use permethrin to treat clothing and gear. Applied to fabrics, not skin, it bonds with the material to repel and kill ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting insects. This offers protection for weeks or washes, useful for items like tents, sleeping bags, and outdoor apparel.
Permethrin is found in over-the-counter and prescription treatments for head lice. These formulations, typically cream rinses or shampoos, kill lice and prevent reinfestation. It also treats mosquito nets, enhancing effectiveness by killing or repelling mosquitoes on contact, providing increased protection against mosquito-borne diseases.
Agricultural and Public Health Applications
Permethrin is used in large-scale agriculture and public health. In crop protection, it serves as an insecticide on various crops like fruits, vegetables, cotton, wheat, and maize. Its broad-spectrum action protects against a wide array of insect pests.
Public health programs employ permethrin for mosquito control. Applied as an ultra-low volume (ULV) spray from ground or aerial equipment, it reduces populations of disease-carrying mosquitoes. This method allows small quantities to cover large areas, killing mosquitoes on contact. Permethrin also treats wood, preventing damage from termites and other wood-boring insects. It is an effective wood preservative, often used in LOSP formulations to protect structural timber.
Animal and Veterinary Care Products
In animal health, permethrin is a common ingredient in products for pest control on animals and their environments. For dogs, it is found in spot-on treatments, collars, and shampoos to control fleas and ticks. These products protect against external parasites like fleas, ticks, and lice.
Permethrin is highly toxic to cats. While safe for dogs, even small amounts from dog-specific formulations can cause severe, fatal neurological symptoms in cats due to their inability to metabolize the compound. Permethrin products for dogs should never be used on or near cats.
Permethrin is used in insecticides for livestock, including sprays, dips, and pour-ons for cattle, sheep, goats, swine, and poultry. These applications manage flies, ticks, and other external parasites affecting animal health and productivity. It is also used in premise sprays for animal housing facilities like barns, kennels, and dairies to control insect pests.