INZECTO

Enrico Paolo Levi, Founder and CEO

Why must modern pest control strategies adapt to insect behavior and environmental change

Insects do not move randomly. They are guided by scent trails, humidity, shelter and breeding cues.

INZECTO designs pest control systems around this biological reality. Its systems draw target insects into zones they choose to enter.

This approach is increasingly relevant. Pest control operators and public pest control agencies are operating in a new reality shaped by global megatrends, including climate change, urbanization and the presence of invasive species that are colonizing new environments.

Climate change is expanding insect habitats and prolonging their active seasons, while urbanization and the rise of invasive species are accelerating infestation rates. At the same time, pests are developing genetic resistance to conventional insecticides, even as regulatory frameworks continue to restrict their use to safeguard human health and vital ecosystems.

With bigger problems and fewer tools available, new strategies are needed to protect people and safeguard the environment. INZECTO helps operators and agencies work effectively within these constraints by providing selective, biology-driven solutions that target only the intended pests while remaining safe for humans and the environment.

“Our solutions use insect biology to control pests, limiting insecticide spread with no collateral damage,” says Enrico Paolo Levi, founder and CEO.

Applying this biology-first approach for multiple pests, from mosquitoes to termites, INZECTO replaces broad spraying with long-lasting, professional-grade solutions that are reliable, easy to deploy and cost-effective.

Science Driving Smarter Pest Control

How does scientific collaboration shape the development of INZECTO’s biology-driven pest control systems

INZECTO’s products are developed in close collaboration with the University of Florida’s Department of Entomology, regarded as the world’s leading center for insect science. The work was led by Dr. Phil Koehler, professor emeritus at the University of Florida and head of science at INZECTO. His expertise in insect biology helped shape the company’s control philosophy, focusing on how insects move, forage and respond to their environment. The university continues to participate as a shareholder, exemplifying a public-private partnership that supports innovation and field-ready solutions.

This technology was tested under demanding real-world conditions with support from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Deployed Warfighter Protection Program, where insect control is mission-critical. Systems had to be safe for untrained users, effective in remote and harsh environments, and capable of controlling disease-carrying insects without contaminating surrounding areas.

The results are reliable products that require minimal user input and deliver consistent performance under challenging field conditions. Tested under military-grade standards, the systems also prove exceptionally suited for civilian pest control, public health initiatives, disaster response, and other high-stakes applications.

Breaking Mosquito Cycles at the Source

How does INZECTO’s mosquito trap disrupt reproduction by targeting multiple life cycle stages

INZECTO’s flagship product, the mosquito trap, guides insects into contained treatment zones. It replicates the ideal place where mosquitoes lay their eggs, with shape, color, humidity, surface texture and scent engineered to attract them.

“Everything we do starts with understanding how insects behave,” says Levi.

Inside the trap is a microporous polymer embedded with adulticide and larvicide. Over 90 percent of mosquitoes that land to lay eggs die on contact. The remaining are destroyed as the larvae transition to the pupal stage. By targeting mosquitoes at multiple points in their life cycle, the system disrupts reproduction while reducing the risk of pesticide resistance, one of the most persistent challenges in mosquito control.

Crucially, the insecticide remains fully contained within the device. Release levels are two orders of magnitude below what the World Health Organization considers unsafe, to the point that the water inside the trap could technically be classified as drinkable. This level of containment delivers high efficacy while keeping exposure to people, pets, wildlife and useful insects negligible. Manufactured using partially recycled plastic, the trap is fully recyclable, reinforcing the system’s low environmental footprint.

Safety alone is not enough. Simplicity was a design priority for INZECTO from the beginning. Activation requires just one step—adding water. Originally designed for use by untrained military personnel, the device can be deployed just as easily in private yards, disaster zones or regions where resources are limited. For professionals, this simplicity reduces service failures and callbacks while integrating easily into existing programs.

To address mosquito breeding in small standing-water containers where the trap cannot be deployed, INZECTO applied the same microporous polymer platform to a complementary larvicide system. Embedded in a weighted ceramic tile, the polymer sinks to the bottom of containers and releases daily micro-doses of larvicide, targeting mosquito larvae.

“Our goal is to break the insect life cycle, not blanket the environment,” says Levi.

Proven Protection in High-Risk Environments

INZECTO’s approach has been tested far beyond the lab. In Honduras, a village affected by dengue, Zika and chikungunya participated in a field program where one of INZECTO’s larvicide-based solutions was deployed only once. Over the following year of monitoring, the village reported zero cases of all three diseases, and no adverse effects were observed on fish or the surrounding ecosystem. The project was carried out in collaboration with Operation Blessing, a globally recognized relief organization.

The same deployment logic proved valuable after Hurricane Ian, when mosquito populations surged in Florida due to standing water on private properties beyond the reach of public mosquito control agencies. INZECTO donated traps that were distributed through fire stations and churches, enabling residents to treat their own yards and complement public spraying efforts.

This led to INZECTO’s recognition by the World Bank and the Financial Times as a transformational business of the future in health and wellness.

Closing the Gaps in Termite Defense

How does Hydro Trail redirect termites toward treatment stations using behavioral guidance

INZECTO has extended its behavior-guided design logic to termite protection with the launch of Hydro Trail, a system that redirects termites toward monitoring or treatment stations by tapping into their natural foraging instincts.

Conventional termite protection relies on bait stations placed several feet apart around a structure. While effective in theory, this spacing leaves gaps that termites can tunnel through. Damage often becomes visible only after colonies have bypassed the stations, contributing to billions of dollars in destruction and disputes each year between pest control firms and insurers.

Hydro Trail addresses this weakness without increasing insecticide use. The system employs a biodegradable compound, already approved for food and cosmetic applications, that mimics termite pheromone trails. When mixed with water and applied to the soil perimeter around a building or home, it penetrates five to 10 inches, the typical tunneling depth of termites, guiding them toward bait stations.

Field trials in Fort Myers, Florida, showed that this approach more than doubled bait station hit rates. Pest control partners involved in the trials committed to making the application a standard part of future termite protection programs. The system works across multiple termite species, including invasive Formosan termites, whose spread is accelerating as the climate warms.

Because Hydro Trail relies on behavioral redirection rather than toxicity, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified it as a FIFRA-exempt product, enabling rapid adoption without the regulatory burden associated with chemical soil treatments.

Reliable Pest Control at Global Scale

Built for global deployment, INZECTO now operates at commercial scale. Its mosquito control products are registered in 25 countries, with additional registrations underway across Southeast Asia, Africa and Brazil, positioning them for availability in nearly 50 countries worldwide. Manufacturing is centralized in a 33,000-square-foot facility in Poland, supporting worldwide distribution while the U.S. remains its largest market.

INZECTO also invests heavily in research and intellectual property. Its pipeline includes patented advances in light-based insect attraction that have demonstrated capture rates up to five times higher for difficult-to-control mosquitoes and sand flies. Some of these innovations are designed to be licensed to other producers, extending INZECTO’s biology-driven insights beyond its own product line.

INZECTO’s recognition as a Pest Control Products development Company of the Year 2026 reflects the effectiveness of its behavior-guided systems. As insect pressure rises and traditional tools grow more limited, it remains focused on precise targeting, contained treatment zones and biology as the foundation of modern pest control.