A crotonic acid amide derivative represented by formula (I):
wherein X 1 , X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , and X s , which may be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkoxy group, a lower haloalkyl group, a lower haloalkoxy group, a nitro group, a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkanesulfonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkanesulfonyloxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted benzenesulfonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted benzenesulfonyloxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted phenoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted benzyloxy group, a dialkylamino group, a mono- or di-lower alkanesulfonylamino group, a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkylthio group, a -SO 2 R 1 wherein R 1 represents a lower alkyl group or a lower haloalkyl group, a lower alkoxycarbonyloxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl group, a -CH = N-OR 2 group wherein R 2 represents a lower alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted pyrazolyl-1-yl group, a substituted or unsubstituted pyridyloxy group, or a pyrimidyl group; X 2 may be bonded to X 1 or X 3 to form a ring,
and an insectide containing the same. The compound of formula (I) has broad insecticidal activity against notixious insects, particularly Diptera and Lepidoptera.