What does larvicide mean?
A larvicide is a substance or preparation intended to kill insect larvae, the immature stage commonly called grubs, maggots, or mosquito larvae. Its use is especially associated with controlling mosquito populations: larvicides may be placed in standing water, where they kill larvae before the insects mature and begin reproducing. The word is technical and appears in environmental science, public-health guidance, agriculture, and product labeling. Although every larvicide is a pesticide and generally an insecticide, the term is more precise because it identifies the life stage targeted rather than merely the broad category of pest controlled. Larvicides are not intended to kill adult insects, so their role in pest management differs from that of adulticides. For a general reader, the key distinction is developmental: a larvicide acts on the young, immature form of an insect.
nounA substance or preparation used to kill insect larvae. Larvicides are especially used to control mosquito larvae before they mature into adult insects.
- A chemical substance or preparation used to kill insect larvae.
"The public-health team applied a larvicide to the standing water where mosquitoes were breeding."
"The larvicide remained effective in the shallow pools where larvae were abundant."
"Agricultural workers used a larvicide to control caterpillars before they damaged the crops."
The plural is used when referring to multiple larvicidal substances or formulations.
"Several larvicides are approved for use in mosquito-control programs."
A larvicide fights mosquitoes before they grow wings: the name identifies both the killer and its intended target.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does larvicide come from?
The word was formed in English from larv-, a stem associated with Latin larva, and the combining form -cide, meaning “killer” and ultimately related to Latin caedere, “to kill.” The zoological sense of larva refers to the immature form of an insect or similar animal. English later specialized the compound for an agent that kills larvae, while related forms such as larval and larvicultural preserve the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How larvicide is actually used
Technical and generally formal, though it is common in public-health, environmental, agricultural, and pest-control contexts. It is more specific than the broader terms insecticide and pesticide because it identifies the life stage being targeted.
Easily confused with larvicide
An insecticide is any chemical used to control insects, whereas a larvicide specifically targets the immature larval stage.