The study was conducted in 2006-2009 in Rzeszów (50^o01’ N; 22^o03’ E) and Boguchwała (49^o58’ N; 21^o56’ E) (south-eastern Poland). Observations of the harmfulness of the European corn borer (ECB) to sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata) were carried out on Candle, Sweet Trophy and Sheba hybrids. In the study years the harmfulness of Ostrinia nubilalis was very high. During the analysed period caterpillars in both locations damaged from 58.0 to 97.5% of plants and from 55.0 to 92.7% of cobs. The risk to quantity and quality of cob yield was significant because from 1 to 15 caterpillars of the ECB eating out soft kernels were found on a single cob. Insecticides containing lambda-cyhalotrin and indoxacarb which were used for single and double spraying of plants demonstrated a high suitability for the protection of sweet corn against the ECB. The best results of chemical control of caterpillars were obtained by using two treatments with the studied insecticides during the growing season.

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