What type of insecticide requires the insect to make contact with a treated area for effectiveness?

Non-systemic insecticides are designed to work by direct contact with the pest. These types of insecticides must adhere to the surface treated, allowing the insect to come into contact with the chemical for it to be effective. Non-systemic insecticides typically do not get absorbed by plants; instead, they remain on the surface, where pests can be affected when they touch or ingest the treated area.

This mode of action differentiates them from systemic insecticides, which are absorbed by plants and transported throughout their tissues, affecting pests that feed on any part of the plant. The effectiveness of non-systemic insecticides is highly reliant on proper application techniques that ensure that the target area is adequately treated and that pests are exposed to it.