Yield loss in different crops due to the attack of various classes of insect pests is a worldwide problem. Sucking type Dysdercus maurus causes damage to many crop species. Diverse plant species have been studied in order to identify the active ingredients responsible for their insecticidal activity against pests of economic importance. To verify the insecticidal activity of the stem bark and crude resin of Croton urucurana Baillon 1864 (Euphorbiaceae) against Dysdercus maurus Distant 1901 (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae), the methanolic (EMeOH) extract, dichloromethane fraction (FDM), ethyl acetate fraction (FAE) and crude resin were applied topically with micro- applicator on the dorsal side of the mesothoracic region of third instar nymphs and the ventral side of adult insects and incorporated into an artificial diet. The average adult mortality of Dysdercus maurus treated topically with 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% of the extracts mentioned above was significantly higher compared to controls. The FAE showed high insecticidal potential, having a higher mortality rate, extending the duration of the larval stages and resulting in malformed adults. Third instar nymphs fed with artificial seeds containing 1% FAE died three days after the start of the experiment, even before the molt to the next instar. For all treatments the death rate was greater for immature forms. These findings may provide a useful beginning for the development of biopesticides. Further studies will be carried out on mating, fecundity and proteolytic activity. © 2012 Academic Journals Inc.9298106Akhtar, Y., Isman, M.B., Comparative growth inhibitory and antifeedant effects of plant extracts and pure allelochemicals on four phytophagous insect species (2004) J. Applied Entomol, 128, pp. 32-38Alexander, I.C., Pascoe, O.K., Marchand, P., Williams, L.A.D., An insecticidal diterpene from Croton linearis (1991) Phytochemistry, 30, pp. 1801-1803Almeida, F.A.C., Goldfarb, A.C., Gouveia, J.P.G., Avaliacao de extratos vegetais e metodos de aplicacao no controle de Sitophilus spp (1999) Revista Brasileira Produtos Agroindustriais, 1, pp. 13-20Anazetti, M.C., Melo, P.S., Duran, N., Hauna, M., Dehydrocrotonin and its derivative, dim ethyl ami de-crotonin induce apoptosis with lipid peroxidation and activation of caspases-2, -6 and -9 in human leukemic cells HL60 (2004) Toxicology, 15, pp. 123-137Asare, G.A., Sittie, A., Bugyei, K., Gyan, B.A., Adjei, S., Acute toxicity studies of Croton membranaceus root extract (2011) J. Ethnopharmacol, 134, pp. 938-943Carlini, C.R., Grossi-de-Sa, M.F., Plant toxic proteins with insecticidal properties. Areview on their potentialities asbioinsecticides (2002) Toxicon, 40, pp. 1515-1539Colom, O.A., Neske, A., Popich, S., Bardon, A., Toxic effects of annonaceous acetogenins from Annona cherimolia (Magnoliales: Annonaceae) on Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctmdae) (2007) J. Pest Sci, 80, pp. 63-67Colom, O.A., Barrachma, I., Mmgol, L.A., Mas, M.C.G., Sanz, P.M., Neske, A., Bardon, A., Toxic effects of annonaceous acetogenins on Oncopeltus fasciatus (2008) J. Pest Sci, 81, pp. 85-89Cooper, J., Dobson, H., The benefits of pesticides to mankind and the environment (2007) Crop Prot, 26, pp. 1337-1348Cronquist, A., (1981) An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants, , Columbia University Press, New Yorkdi Toto Blessing, L., Colom, O.A., Popich, S., Neske, A., Bardon, A., Antifeedant and toxic effects of acetogenins from Annona montana on Spodoptera frugiperda (2010) J. Pest Sci, 83, pp. 307-310Fazolin, M., Estrela, J.L.V., Catam, V., Lima, M.S., Alecio, M.R., Toxicidade do Oleo de Piper aduncum L. a Adultos de Cerotoma tingomarianus Bechyne (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) (2005) Neotrop. EntomoL, 34, pp. 485-489Fischer, H., Machen, T.E., Widdicombe, J.H., Carlson, T.J., King, S.R., Chow, J.W., Illek, B., A novel extract SB-300 from the stem bark latex of Croton lechleri inhibits CFTR-mediated chloride secretion in human colonic epithelial cells (2004) J. EthnopharmacoL, 93, pp. 351-357Guedes, R.N.C., Pereira, E.J.G., Maize Weevil X Insecticides: Pyrethroid Resistance, Associated Fitness Costs and Mitigation and Management Implications (2008) Crop Protection Research Advances, pp. 125-150. , Burton, E.N. and P.V. Williams (Eds.). Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, NY, USAGurgel, L.A., Sidrim, J.J.C., Martins, D.T., Filho, V.C., Rao, V.S., In vitro antifungal activity of dragon's blood from Croton urucurana against dermatophytes (2005) J. EthnopharmacoL, 97, pp. 409-412Hernandez, R.C., Vendramim, J.D., Toxicidade de extrato aquoso de Meliaceae em Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (1996) Manejo Integrado De Plagas, 42, pp. 14-22Kubo, I., Asaka, Y., Shibata, K., Insect growth inhibitory nor-diterpenes, cis-dehydrocrotonin and trans-dehydrocrotonin, from Croton cajucara (1991) Phytochemistry, 30, pp. 2545-2546Medina, P., Smagghe, G., Budia, F., Tirry, L., Vinuela, E., Toxicity and absorption of azadirachtin, diflubenzuron, pyriproxyfen and tebufenozide after topical application in predatory larvae of Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) (2003) Environ. EntomoL, 32, pp. 196-203Montesdeoca, M., Lobo, M.G., Casanas, N., Carnero, A., Castanera, P., Ortego, F., Partial characterization of the proteolytic enzymes in the gut of the banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus and effects of soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor on larval performance (2005) EntomoL Exp. Appl, 116, pp. 227-236Obeng-Ofori, D., Amiteye, S., Efficacy of mixing vegetable oils mixed with pirimiphos-methyl against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky in stored maize (2005) J. Stored Prod. Res, 41, pp. 56-57Okokon, J.E., Nwafor, P.A., Antiplasmodial activity of root extract and fractions of Croton zambesicus (2009) J. EthnopharmacoL, 121, pp. 74-78Oliveira, A.S., Xavier-Filho, J., Sales, M.P., Cysteine proteinases and cystatins (2003) Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol, 46, pp. 91-104Omar, S., Lalonde, M., Marcotte, M., Cook, M., Proulx, J., Insect growth-reducing and antifeedant activity in Eastern North America hardwood species and bioassay-guided isolation of active principales from Prunus serotina (2000) Agril. Forest Entomol, 2, pp. 253-257Peres, M.T., Monache, F.D., Cruz, A.B., Pizzolatti, M.G., Yunes, R.A., Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Croton urucurana Baillon (Euphorbiaceae) (1997) J. Ethnopharmacol, 56, pp. 223-226Peres, M.T.L.P., Pizzolatti, M., Yunes, R., Monache, F.D., Clerodane diterpenes of Croton urucurana (1998) Phytochemistry, 49, pp. 171-174Piovesan, A.R., Staniscuaski, F., Marco-Salvadori, J., Real-Guerra, R., Defferrari, M.S., Carlini, C.R., Stage-specific gut proteinases of the cotton stainer bug Dysdercus peruvianus: Role in the release of entomotoxic peptides from Canavalia ensiformis urease (2008) Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol, 38, pp. 1023-1032Pudhom, K., Sommit, D., Clerodane diterpenoids and a trisubstituted furan from Croton oblongifolius (2011) Phytochem. Lett, 4, pp. 147-150Rao, P.J., Kumar, K.M., Singh, S., Subrahmanyam, B., Effect of Artemisia annua oil on development and reproduction of Dysdercus koenigii F. (Hemiptera:Pyrrhocoridae) (1999) J. Applied Entomol, 1, pp. 204-207Robert, S., Baccelli, C., Devel, P., Dogne, J.M., Quetin-Leclercq, J., Effects of leaf extracts from Croton zambesicus Muell (2010) Arg. On Hemostasis. J. Ethnopharmacol, 128, pp. 641-648Silva, H.H., Silva, I.G., dos Santos, R.M., Filho, E.R., Ehas, C.N., Larvicidal activity of tannins isolated of Magoniapubescens St. Hil. (Sapindaceae) against Aedes aegypti (Diptera, Cuhcidae) (2004) Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop, 37, pp. 396-399Silva, L.B., Silva, W., Macedo, M.L.R., Peres, M.T.L.P., Effects of Croton urucurana extracts and crude resin on Anagasta kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) (2009) Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol, 52, pp. 653-664Simoes, C.M.O., Schenkel, E.P., Gosman, G., Mello, J.C.P., Mentz, L.A., Petrovick, P.R., (2002) Metabolismo Basico E Origem Dos Metabolitos Secundarios, pp. 323-354. , Farmacognosia: Da planta ao Medicamento, UFSC, Porto AlegreStaniscuaski, F., Ferreira-Dasilva, C.T., Mulinari, F., Pires-Alves, M., Carlini, C.R., Insecticidal effects of canatoxin on the cotton stainer bug Dysdercus peruvianus (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae) (2005) Toxicon, 45, pp. 753-760Suarez, A.I., Compagnone, R.S., Salazar-Bookaman, M.M., Tillett, S., Monache, F.D., di Giulio, C., Bruges, G., Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Croton malambo bark aqueous extract (2003) J. Ethnopharmacol, 88, pp. 11-14Torres, M., Assuncao, J., Santiago, G., Andrade-Neto, M., Silveira, E., Larvicidal and nematicidal activities of the leaf essential oil of Croton regelianus (2008) Chem. Biodivers, 5, pp. 2724-2728Webster, G.L., Synopsis of the genera and suprageneric taxa of euphorbiaceae (1994) Ann. Missouri Bot. Garden, 81, pp. 33-144White, N.D.G., Leesch, J.G., Chemical Control (1995) Integrated Management of Insects In Stored Products, pp. 287-330. , Subramanyam, B.H. and D. Hagstrum (Eds.). Marcel Dekker, New YorkWinkel-Shirley, B., Flavanoid biosynthesis. A Colorful model for genetics, biochemistry, cell biology and biotechnology (2001) Plant Physiol, 126, pp. 485-493