The present invention relates to a pesticide composition in the form of a water absorbent granular material and to the use of such compositions for combating arthropod pests, in particular soil-living arthropod pests, and nematodes, with particular preference given to soil-living insect pests. The pesticide composition according to the invention as a water absorbent granular material, which contains: i) from 0.001 to 10% by weight of at least one pesticide compound, in particular a pesticide compound that is active against said soil-living arthropod pest, ii) from 80 to 99.999% by weight of at least one granular super absorbent polymer, and iii) water, wherein the % by weight are based on the total weight of the composition, except for water and wherein the components i) and ii) make up at least 90% by weight of the composition except for water, and wherein the water absorbent granular material is obtainable by a process which comprises the treatment of superabsorbent polymer granules with a liquid aqueous composition containing the at least one pesticide compound.