Deltamethrin is a highly active, single isomer, polyvalent insecticide belonging to a group of pesticides called the synthetic pyrethroids and is photo-stable. It kills most flying and crawling insects on contact and ingestion and is widely used in crop protection, animal and public health, wood preservation and grain protection. It controls mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, fleas, bedbugs, ticks, lice, mites, beetles, termites and wood and grain pests. It is a highly effective residual insecticide and plays an important role in controlling malaria vectors. Used in vector control in the manufacture of long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets (LLIN’s), indoor residual surface sprays (IRS) being the main interventions recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the management of malaria. 

Deltamethrin is widely used in a variety of formulations that include suspension concentrates, wettable powders, dusting powders, granules, water dispersible tablets, emulsifiable concentrates, capsule suspensions, ready-to-use products, aerosol formulations including ultra-low volume (ULV) space sprays applied by aircraft, drones or handheld applicators.

It can be used on its own or in combination with other insecticides and the synergist piperonal butoxide that enhances the activity of an insecticide and assists in overcoming metabolic (detoxification) resistance.