[Objectives]  To determine the community structure of the sugarcane borer, the frequency of borer-damaged dead hearts in different cropping systems, and lay a foundation for the monitoring and control of borers. [Methods]  We surveyed the frequency of borer-damaged, dead, sugarcane hearts in different cropping system and in different sugarcane varieties with natural borer infestations and analyzed the community structure of borers, the characteristics of borer-damaged dead hearts, and the dynamics of borer-damaged dead hearts. [Results]  Sesamia inferens were more abundant than Argyroploce schistaceana in paddy fields, and in upland fields species could be ranked in abundance as follows S. inferens > Chilo infuscatellus > A. schistaceana. The second instar was the most common in borer-damaged dead hearts on early sugarcane seedlings. As seedlings grew, the third and fourth instars became progressively more common. In the middle of dead hearts, 3rd-4th instar S. inferens larvae were concentrated on 6-8 leaves whereas 3rd instar A. schistaceana were concentrated on 4-8 leaves and 3rd-4th instar C. infuscatellus larvae were concentrated on 5-8 leaves. The frequency of borer-damaged dead hearts fluctuated in all kinds of sugarcane seedling, but there were smaller fluctuations in paddy fields than upland fields. [Conclusion]  Different sugarcane cropping systems had different borer community structures. Characteristics of borer- damaged dead hearts and their frequency of regularity varied with both borer species and sugarcane variety.