Pesticide

A pesticide is a chemical, or sometimes biological agent such as a virus or bacteria, used to control, to repel, to attract, or to kill pests, which are organisms, including insects, weeds, birds, mammals, fish, and microbes, that compete with humans for food, destroy property, spread disease, or are considered a nuisance. Pesticides are usually, but not always, poisonous to humans.

Pesticides active against higher level animal life forms

• insecticides, which kill (or prevent the development of) insects
• acaricides http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/class_acaricides.html or miticides, which kill mites
• avicides http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/class_avicides.html, which kill birds
• chemosterilants http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/class_chemosterilants.html
• molluscicides http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/class_molluscicides.html, which kill snails and other mollusks
• nematicides http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/class_nematicides.html, which kill roundworms
• rodenticides http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/class_rodenticides.html, which kill rodents, generally mice or rats

Repellents and attractants

• insect attractants
• insect repellents
• bird repellents
• mammal repellents