ABSTRACT
The juvenile hormones of insects are sesquiterpenoid molecules secreted by the corpora allata. They prevent metamorphosis of larvae and play numerous other functions during the whole insect life. Juvenile hormones have prototyped the design of insecticides mimicking their activity for use in insect vector and pest control. These man-made chemicals are called juvenile hormone analogues or juvenoids. In this chapter, the conditions in which the juvenile hormones were discovered are described. The brief history of juvenoid synthesis is also recalled.
