What differentiates contact pesticides from systemic pesticides?

The distinction between contact pesticides and systemic pesticides lies in how they interact with pests. Contact pesticides operate by killing pests upon direct exposure. When these chemicals are sprayed on surfaces where pests reside, they immediately affect any pest that comes into contact with the treated area. This mode of action relies on the pesticide physically touching the target organism, making its effectiveness contingent upon the thorough application to the surfaces where pests are present.

In contrast, systemic pesticides are taken up by plants and distributed throughout their tissues, which means pests that consume any part of the plant are affected, even if they do not come into direct contact with the pesticide. Understanding this difference is essential for applying the appropriate strategy for pest management in various agricultural settings.