Compounds, compositions, and methods that employ an eremophilane sesguiterpene are presented for controlling an arthropod pest population. The compounds have minimal adverse or toxic effects on humans, non-human animals, and the natural environment. The compounds may be isolated from natural sources, semi-synthesized from naturally occurring compounds, or completely synthesized. The compounds may be applied directly to a pest or the locus of a pest, and function as topical or ingestible toxins. Eremophilane sesguiterpenes 13-hydroxy-valencene, valencene-11,12-epoxide, valencene-13-aldehyde, and nootkatone-1,10-11,12-diepoxide are exemplary compounds.