Abstract: Alpha-Arylacrylic acid derivatives of the general formula I ##STR1## where X is ethylene or ethenylene; n is 0 or 1;m is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;R.sup.1 is cyano, cyanato, thiocyanato, nitro, hydroxyl, carboxyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkadienyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or amino, alkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, dialkylaminocarbonyl, unsubstituted or substituted benzyloxycarbonyl, benzoyl, phenylalkyl, phenylalkoxy or phenoxyalkyl,or R.sup.1 together with one of the radicals R.sup.2 forms an unsubstituted or substituted 1,3-butadiene-1,4-diyl group or an unsubstituted or substituted chain consisting of carbon members and an oxygen member, andR.sup.2 is halogen, unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyloxy, alkynyloxy, alkadienyloxy, benzyloxy or benzylthio, are used for controlling pests.