What type of insecticide is referred to as an adulticide?

An adulticide is specifically designed to target adult insects, making it effective in the management of pest populations that are in their adult life stage. This type of insecticide functions by disrupting the biological processes of adult insects, thus controlling their numbers and preventing further reproduction.

For example, adulticides are commonly used to manage established pest populations, such as flies, mosquitoes, and other adult insects that have already emerged from larval stages. This approach is crucial for pest control because adult insects are often responsible for reproduction and spreading infestations.

In contrast, options that refer to targeting insect larvae or eggs do not align with the definition of an adulticide as they focus on different developmental stages of the insect lifecycle. Additionally, a choice that mentions repelling arthropods does not deal directly with the mortality of adult insects and, therefore, is not relevant to the concept of adulticides. Understanding the distinction between various types of insecticides and their targets is essential for effective pest management strategies.