There is now described a method of controlling pests with nitroimino- or nitroguanidino-compounds; more specificallya method of controlling pests in and on transgenic crops of useful plants, such as, for example, in crops of maize, cereals, soya beans, tomatoes, cotton, potatoes, rice and mustard, with a nitroimino- or nitroguanidino-compound, especially with thiamethoxam, characterized in that a pesticidal composition comprising a nitroimino- or nitroguanidino-compound in free form or in agrochemically useful salt form and at least one auxiliary is applied to the pests or their environment, in particular to the crop plant itself.