In this study, hydrolytic enzymes from sunn pest (Eurygaster integriceps) and cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) midguts were identified and characterized in terms of their optimum pH, Km and Vmax values. Hydrolytic activities were also tested for inhibition by several protease and alpha-amylase inhibitors which can be used for the development of insect resistant plants through transgenic technologies. For sunn pest midgut, a low proteolytic activity, belonging mostly to trypsin-like and leucine aminopeptidase-like proteases, and a very high alpha-amylase activity was found in sunn pest midgut, reflecting its high carbohydrate diet. Proteolytic activities could not be inhibited by natural protease inhibitors (SBTI and aprotinin) but inhibited significantly by a general serine protease inhibitor PMSF and metalloprotease inhibitors CdCl2 and CuCl2. alpha-Amylase activity of sunn pest midgut is resistant to inhibition by bean alpha-amylase inhibitor, but inhibited by chickpea, wheat and maize alpha-amylase inhibitors by 26 %, 37 % and 40 %, respectively. For cotton bollworm midgut, a very high proteolytic activity, belonging to serine and metalloprotease type, was detected. alpha-Amylase activity was lower compared to sunn pest midgut, but there were higher and diverse type of proteases, might be reflecting its wide range of host preference. Proteolytic activity was significantly inhibited by both natural protease inhibitors (SBTI and aprotinin). It was also inhibited by several synthetic protease inhibitors (PMSF, E-64, TPCK, CdCl2, CuCl2, Chymostatin). alpha-Amylase activity was inhibited by 60 % by wheat alpha-amylase inhibitor, while maize, chickpea and bean alpha-amylase inhibitors had no effect on cotton bollworm midgut alpha-amylase activity.