Among the most useful control methods for the defoliating pest spruce budworm is tebufenozide. Tebufenozide is an insect growth regulator that, when ingested, stimulates abnormal and fatal moutling in the target insect. While it’s effectiveness as an ingested compound has been demonstrated, it’s potential as a contact bioinsecticide is yet to be known. Some similar compounds have been used in such a way, providing an important addition to the use of insect growth regulators against pest insects. Here, we analyzed the toxicity of tebufenozide when topically applied to spruce budworm pupa. While we were able to ascertain lethal and sublethal (i.e., Negative effect on weight, and adult attributes) dose amounts far exceeded those associated with ingestion. While this precludes the use of tebufenozide here as a topical bioinsectide, our work provides an important example of the potential for existing technologies to be used effectively outside of their original designs.