The African black beetle Heteronychus arator is a pest of sugarcane in New South Wales and southern Queensland. The adults chew holes in the eyes and young shoots of germinating setts and in your ratoon shoots. Damage in plant cane was reduced and harvest yield increased by applying terbufos (Counter 150G) to the soil in the rows several weeks after planting. Rates of 1.2 to 3.6 kg ai ha-1 were equally effective; lower rates were not tested. Terbufos also reduced damage when applied in ratoon cane. However, untreated ratoon cane recovered quickly and harvest yields were not measured.