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You are here: NPIC Home Page Pesticide Ingredients Active Ingredients Specific Chemical Information Pyriproxyfen

Pyriproxyfen mimics natural hormones in insects, disrupting their growth. It is a type of insect growth regulator that affects mostly young insects and eggs. Pyriproxyfen is low in toxicity to humans. Although rarely toxic to adult insects, it prevents insects from multiplying. Pyriproxyfen is commonly used directly on pets to control fleas and ticks. It is practically non-toxic to mammals, birds, and adult honeybees. However, it can be highly toxic to fish.

General Questions about Pyriproxyfen

What is pyriproxyfen? What is some products that contain pyriproxyfen? How does pyriproxyfen work? How might I be exposed to pyriproxyfen? What are some signs and symptoms from a brief exposure to pyriproxyfen? What happens to pyriproxyfen when it enters the body? Is pyriproxyfen likely to contribute to the development of cancer? Has anyone studied non-cancer effects from long-term exposure to pyriproxyfen? Are children more sensitive to pyriproxyfen than adults? What happens to pyriproxyfen in the environment? Can pyriproxyfen affect birds, fish, and other wildlife?

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If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email at npic@ace.orst.edu.

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NPIC provides objective, science-based information about pesticides and pesticide-related topics to enable people to make informed decisions. NPIC is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (cooperative agreement #X8-83947901). The information in this publication does not in any way replace or supersede the restrictions, precautions, directions, or other information on the pesticide label or any other regulatory requirements, nor does it necessarily reflect the position of the U.S. EPA.