What is the term for substances used to repel insects or animals?

The term for substances specifically designed to repel insects or animals is "repellents." Repellents work by utilizing various active ingredients that deter pests from coming into contact with treated surfaces or environments, making them an effective means of managing pest presence without necessarily killing them.

Insecticides, on the other hand, are aimed at killing insects rather than just repelling them. Fumigants are gases that control pests in enclosed spaces and also do not function as repellents but rather as lethal agents. Miticides are specifically targeted towards controlling mite populations and, similar to insecticides, are primarily used to eliminate rather than repel target organisms. Thus, the focus on the action of repelling distinctly categorizes repellents as the appropriate term for these substances.