Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have developed a chemical, bistrifluron, that effectively eliminates drywood termite colonies without posing a risk to humans. The chemical targets the insect’s ability to create a new exoskeleton, a necessary process for growth, ultimately proving fatal.
In controlled laboratory tests, bistrifluron achieved 95.7 percent mortality when termites had a choice between treated and untreated wood, and approximately 99 percent mortality with continuous exposure. This offers a potentially safer alternative to traditional termite fumigation methods.
Nicholas Poulos, a doctoral student in UCR's Department of Entomology and the corresponding author of the study published in 2025 in the Journal of Economic Entomology, explained that the chemical is “more environmentally friendly than ones traditionally used for drywood termite infestations.” He emphasized its specificity to insects, stating, “It's specific to insects and can't harm humans.”
The effectiveness of bistrifluron stems from its function as a chitin synthesis inhibitor. Chitin is a crucial component of insect exoskeletons, also found in fungal cell walls, fish scales, and squid beaks. Drywood termites must molt approximately seven times during their lives to shed old exoskeletons and grow new ones. Bistrifluron disrupts the production of chitin, preventing the formation of a new exoskeleton and leading to the termite’s demise. As Poulos stated, “Once the termites reach a certain stage, they have to molt. They cannot avoid that.
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