Benzoylurea insecticide

Benzoylureas (BPUs) are chemical derivatives of N-benzoyl-N′-phenylurea, which are used as insecticides. They do not directly kill the insect, but disrupt moulting and egg hatch, and thus act as insect growth regulators. They act by inhibiting chitin synthase, preventing the formation of chitin in the insect's body.

The insecticidal activity of the BPUs was discovered serendipitiously at Phillips-Duphar who commercialised diflubenzuron in 1975. Since then, many BPUs were commercialised by many companies. BPUs accounted for 3% of the $ 18.4 billion world insecticide market in 2018. Lufenuron, was the largest selling BPU in 2016, selling for $ 112 million.

BPUs are active against many types of insect pests, (e.g. lepidoptera coleoptera, diptera) in agriculture, as well as being used against termites and animal health pests such as fleas.

The Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) lists the following BPUs, which are classified in IRAC group 15: bistrifluron, chlorfluazuron, diflubenzuron, flucycloxuron, flufenoxuron, hexaflumuron, lufenuron, novaluron, noviflumuron, teflubenzuron, and triflumuron. Many older BPUs are no longer in use.