Insect pests were one of the most significant constraints to vegetable production of the studarea. The study's objective was to identify and determine the economic importance of insect pests of vegetables in the highlands of the Guji zone. Four districts- Bore, Anna Sorra, Arda Jila, and Dama districts were selected, and five kebeles per district and five farmers’ fields per kebele were taken as a sample. The major insect pests identified on vegetables were aphids, flea beetles, leaf miners, armyworms, diamondback moths, snails, red ants, onion thrips, and shallot aphids. Aphids, flea beetles, armyworms, diamondback moths, and red ants caused maximum devastation on cabbages at Arda Jila districts, while minimum infestation was recorded at Dama and Bore. Leaf miners and snails caused minimum infestation on cabbages at Arda Jila, but maximum infestation was recorded at Bore and Dama districts. The same damage was recorded on head cabbage by the same insect pests in the study districts. In reverse, maximum infestation by leaf miner and snails was recorded at Anna Sorra and Bore, while the lowest infestation was recorded at the Arda Jila district. The onion thrips, shallot aphids, and red ants caused maximum infestation on shallots at Arda Jila district, whereas minimum infestation was recorded at Dama district. Most of the vegetable producers of the study area were not experienced in applying management practices to control insect pests on vegetables. Therefore, research on the management practices of vegetable insect pests should be prioritized for the study area.

Keywords: Pests, Production constraints, Infestation levels, Ethiopian cabbages, Head cabbages.