Benzon Research Inc

What Benzon Research Inc does

Benzon Research Inc. is a privately held entomological research laboratory founded in 1993 by Gary L. Benzon, Ph.D. in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The company supplies research-grade live insects, prepared artificial insect diets, and rearing supplies, and operates a contract research laboratory performing bioassays for biopesticide developers. Its live insect catalog spans 14 species of Lepidoptera (including a proprietary Bt-resistant Diamondback moth strain designated NO-QAGE, with 500-1000x resistance to internal Btk standards), three mosquito species, three cockroach species, and houseflies, serving university research programs, government agencies (USDA-adjacent regulatory and public health work), and private industry scientists.

Operationally, Benzon Research runs from a single purpose-built facility opened in 2002 at 7 Kuhn Drive, Carlisle, PA, with a small specialized staff led day-to-day by Laboratory Director Chad Finkenbinder (since 2003). The company sells insects in standardized minimums (1,000 eggs per species; $50-$65 minimum per life stage), offers custom rearing of client-owned strains under isolation and confidentiality protocols, and runs contract bioassays using diet incorporation, diet surface overlay, leaf-disc, droplet feeding, knockdown, and exotoxin methods against microbial agents (B.t. strains), pyrethroids, synergists, IGRs, and biorationals. Federal permits (USDA 526) gate interstate movement of plant pest species.

The business model is sales-led with high-touch customization. Pricing is set per-unit with volume and standing-order discounts, FedEx Priority overnight is the standard shipping channel, and revenue is split across live insect sales, custom rearing services, contract bioassay work, and a consumables catalog (Multi-Species Diet in blocks, cups, trays; 1oz and 8oz rearing containers; bioassay trays) priced between $3 and $45 per SKU. No institutional investors, parent entities, or acquisitions have been disclosed.

Name

Benzon Research Inc

Legal name

Benzon Research

Website

https://benzonresearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Benzon Research Inc. is a Carlisle, PA-based entomological laboratory founded in 1993 that supplies research-grade live insects, prepared diets, rearing supplies, and contract bioassay services to university, government, and biopesticide-industry researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entomological Research Services and Live Insect Supply

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

Crop Protection Chemicals (Herbicides/Insecticides/Fungicides) (IMAEAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Insecticides (AFABAAAB)

Keywords

• Research insect supply
• Insect rearing supplies
• Biopesticide bioassay services
• Entomological research services
• Custom insect colony rearing

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlisle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Insect Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling research-grade insects. Insects available in various species, stages, sizes, and container configurations. Customers include universities, government institutions, and private industry. Minimum order for eggs is 1000; other stages minimum $50-$65.
2. Custom Insect Rearing: Custom colony establishment and maintenance services for proprietary insect strains. Includes isolation and documentation of customer colonies. Periodic selection services to maintain or increase resistance to pesticides.
3. Contract Research / Bioassay Services: Laboratory bioassay services for independent research or third-party QC analysis. Services include testing biopesticides, microbial agents, and treated fabrics. Experienced scientists provide potency data and LC50 assessments.
4. Prepared Diets and Supplies: Sale of artificial insect diets (prepared blocks, cups, trays) and rearing supplies (bioassay trays, cups, lids). Products include Multi-Species Diet, MSD Dry Diet, Linseed Oil additive, and various container options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Benzon Research supplies live research-grade insects (14 Lepidoptera, 3 mosquito, 3 cockroach species, plus houseflies), artificial insect diets, and rearing supplies to scientific customers. The company additionally offers custom insect colony rearing services and contract bioassay laboratory work for biopesticide testing against microbial agents, pyrethroids, IGRs, and biorational products. Customers include university research programs, government institutions, and private industry scientists requiring consistent, documented biological specimens and standardized efficacy data.

Product overview

Benzon Research is an insect research company offering live insects for entomological research, artificial diet products for insect rearing, and laboratory services. The core product portfolio includes: (1) Live research insects - 14 species of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), 3 species of mosquitoes, 3 species of cockroaches, and house flies; (2) Insect artificial diet products - prepared multi-species diets in various formats (blocks, cups, and trays) and unprepared dry diet mixes; (3) Insect rearing supplies - bioassay trays, rearing cups, and lids; and (4) Laboratory services - custom insect rearing programs and contract bioassay research for biopesticide testing. All products are targeted to companies, post-secondary academic institutions, and government agencies conducting entomological research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lepidoptera Research Insects Live research-grade insects across 14 Lepidoptera species, including Navel orangeworm, Diamondback moth (including Bt-resistant NO-QAGE strain), Beet armyworm, Tobacco budworm, Black cutworm, Codling moth, Southern armyworm, Corn earworm, Fall armyworm, Sugarcane borer, Southwestern corn borer, Velvetbean caterpillar, European corn borer, Cabbage looper, and Soybean looper. Sold in various stages (eggs, larvae, pupae, adults), sizes, and container configurations to universities, government institutions, and biopesticide developers.
• Mosquito Research Insects Live research-grade mosquitoes across 3 species: Yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), Common malaria mosquito (Anopheles quadrimaculatus), and Southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus). Provided to research and public health customers conducting vector control and biopesticide studies.
• Cockroach Research Insects Live research-grade cockroaches across 3 species: American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis), and German cockroach (Blattella germanica). Provided to academic, government, and industry researchers for entomology and urban pest studies.
• House Flies House flies (Musca domestica) available as eggs, larvae, and adults for research purposes, including exotoxin assays used in biopesticide QC work.
• Contract Bioassay and Research Services Contract laboratory bioassays to assess efficacy of microbial insecticides, including Lepidoptera larvae assays, mosquito larvae assays, adult mosquito and tick knock-down testing on treated fabrics, and housefly exotoxin assays. Services cover diet incorporation, diet surface overlay (DSO), leaf-disc contamination, and droplet feeding methodologies, with experienced scientists providing potency data and LC50 assessments for biopesticide developers and government agencies.
• Custom Insect Rearing Proprietary insect strain maintenance and colony establishment services where customer colonies are housed separately and isolated from other colonies under strict confidentiality. Includes periodic selection to maintain or increase resistance to synthetic or microbial pesticides, enabling customers to outsource long-term colony programs without in-house infrastructure. Field-collected insects can be shipped for colony establishment.
• Multi-Species Prepared Insect Diet Prepared insect artificial diet suitable for rearing many species of Lepidoptera, offered in multiple formats including prepared blocks (approximately 1 liter, sufficient to rear at least 200 larvae), 8oz cups (12-cup sets), 1oz cups with lids (12-cup sets), 32-well trays with heat-seal lids, and 128-well trays with lids. Used by customers running bioassays and short-term rearing studies.
• MSD Dry Diet Pre-Mix Unprepared insect artificial diet suitable for rearing many species of Lepidoptera. One bag prepares one liter of finished diet. Also available in a formulation without antibiotics for bioassay work where antibiotics may interfere with results.
• Linseed Oil Diet Additive Additive for insect artificial diet that aids development of Black cutworm, Cabbage looper, and Diamondback moth adults. Sold per 5 mL tube, with one tube preparing one liter of finished diet.
• Insect Rearing Supplies Hardware consumables for insect rearing including individual 1oz cups with lids (packs of 100), communal 8oz cups (packs of 50), translucent vented lids for 8oz cups (sleeves of 100), clear unvented lids for 8oz cups (sleeves of 100), empty 128-well bioassay trays with peel-and-stick lids, and empty 32-well rearing trays with heat-seal lids. Supports lepidoptera rearing across individual and communal use cases.
• Insect Shipment Request (Online Order Form) Online order form for requesting insect shipments, supporting species selection, life stage selection, quantity entry, and permit upload. Used by both new and existing customers to initiate orders that are then confirmed by staff before dispatch.

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day shipping available for most Lepidoptera and Aedes aegypti eggs ordered before 1:00 pm EST
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: SGS is a global testing, inspection, and certification company with agricultural and life-sciences service lines, including agrochemical and biopesticide efficacy testing. It competes with Benzon for outsourced efficacy-testing work, though at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
• Certis Biologicals: Certis Biologicals is a major biopesticide manufacturer with deep relationships with biopesticide developers and researchers. It shares the biopesticide industry value chain with Benzon as both a customer and a competitor for biopesticide-testing services.
• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins is a global contract laboratory services group with agricultural and environmental testing capabilities, including some biopesticide and agrochemical testing. As a broad incumbent, it represents a possible alternative outsource partner for biopesticide companies evaluating CRO options.
• Koppert Biological Systems: Koppert is a global leader in biological crop protection and natural pollination, operating broad insect-rearing and biopesticide programs. It competes with Benzon at the broader biocontrol/biopesticide level rather than on research insect supply.
• Biobest Group: Biobest Group is a global biocontrol and pollination company that produces beneficial insects and bumblebees at industrial scale, sharing insect-rearing and biopesticide-development expertise with Benzon though focused on commercial agriculture rather than research.

Direct peers

• Bio-Serv: Bio-Serv (a Lab Products company) manufactures insect diets and laboratory supplies for entomology research, overlapping directly with Benzon's prepared multi-species diet product line and rearing-supply business.
• Frontier Agricultural Sciences: Frontier Agricultural Sciences (formerly M3 Insectary) is a direct peer that supplies research-grade insects and provides bioassay services for the agricultural and life sciences research market, overlapping directly with Benzon's core offering across Lepidoptera, Diptera, and other species.
• Oxitec: Oxitec develops insect-based technologies, including sterile mosquito and agricultural pest R&D. While more technology-focused, Oxitec overlaps with Benzon in maintaining research mosquito colonies and conducting mosquito-related research for biotech and public health customers.

Emerging players

• Rincon-Vitova Insectary: Rincon-Vitova Insectary produces and distributes beneficial insects for biological control with deep expertise in insect rearing comparable to Benzon's. Although its focus is integrated pest management rather than research, the insect-production capabilities are directly comparable.
• ARBICO Organics: ARBICO Organics is a US-based supplier of beneficial insects and biopesticides for agriculture. While oriented toward commercial pest control rather than research, it overlaps with Benzon on insect-production know-how and serves adjacent entomology customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/benzon-research-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Benzon Research Inc