Animal Crossing: New Horizons bugs and where to catch them
Find all of the creepy crawlies in our Animal Crossing: New Horizons bug guide
You may not like all of the Animal Crossing: New Horizons bugs and creepy crawlies you can find on your islands, but knowing where and when they appear so you can catch them is essential for filling up your museum to "complete" that part of the game. However, this task isn't as straightforward as it may sound at first, because some bugs only appear during certain seasons and others are incredibly skittish so hide away in specific types of cover. Your reward for catching all of the Animal Crossing: New Horizons bugs is the coveted gold net recipe, along with building up a well-stocked museum display, so it's worth putting the time in to fill out your collection.
The availability of each bug species depends on which part of the world you're in, as well as the season and time of day. With that in mind, we've been working across two islands to try and bring you the most complete Animal Crossing: New Horizons bug guide to date, divided up by hemisphere (north and south).
Skip to the right section for you below:
Animal Crossing New Horizons Northern Hemisphere bugs
Animal Crossing New Horizons Southern Hemisphere bugs
How to catch Animal Crossing: New Horizons bugs
If you're wondering how exactly to catch bugs in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, all you'll need is a net and good timing / aim. Just have your net out, and press A to swing it when you're near a bug. Almost all bugs will be visibly fluttering or scuttling around your island, although some like the bagworm and spider will only appear when you shake a tree, descending from the boughs on a string.
It's worth nothing that some are skittish and may require you to approach carefully. You can do this by holding A down to ready your net and then creep towards the bug, only releasing A when you're in capture range.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bugs - Northern Hemisphere
Animal Crossing: New Horizons divides the habits of its bugs depending on whether you're North or South of the Equator. We'll cover the North first, but you can always just skip down to find the South beneath it.
Animal Crossing New Horizons Northern Hemisphere bugs
Header Cell - Column 0 | Name | Seasonality (North Hem) | Availability | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Common Butterfly | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 4AM - 7PM | Flowers |
2 | Yellow Butterfly | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sept, Oct | 4AM - 7PM | Flying |
3 | Tiger Butterfly | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 4AM - 7PM | Flying |
4 | Peacock Butterfly | Mar, Apr, May, Jun | 4AM - 7PM | Flowers (Blue, Black, Purple) |
5 | Common Bluebottle | Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug | 4AM - 7PM | Flying |
6 | Paper Kite Butterfly | All months | 9AM - 7PM | Flying |
7 | Great Purple Emperor | May, Jun, Jul, Aug | 4AM - 7PM | Flying |
8 | Monarch Butterfly | Sept, Oct, Nov | 4AM - 5PM | Flying |
9 | Emperor Butterfly | Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Dec | 5PM - 8AM | Flying |
10 | Agrias Butterfly | Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 8AM - 5PM | Flying |
11 | Rajah Brooke's Birdwing | Jan, Feb, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Dec | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers (Blue, Black, Purple) |
12 | Queen Alexandra's Birdwing | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 8AM - 4PM | Flying |
13 | Moth | All months | 7PM - 4AM | Around light |
14 | Atlas Moth | Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 7PM - 4AM | On trees |
15 | Madagascan Sunset Moth | Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 8AM - 4PM | Flying |
16 | Long Locust | Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov | 8AM - 7PM | In grass |
17 | Migratory Locust | Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov | 8AM - 7PM | In grass |
18 | Rice Grasshopper | Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov | 8AM - 7PM | In grass |
19 | Grasshopper | Jul, Aug, Sept | 8AM - 5PM | In grass |
20 | Cricket | Sept, Oct, Nov | 5PM - 8AM | In grass |
21 | Bell Cricket | Sept, Oct | 5PM - 8AM | In grass |
22 | Mantis | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers |
23 | Orchid Mantis | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers |
24 | Honeybee | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers |
25 | Wasp | All months | All hours | Shaking trees |
26 | Brown Cicada | Jul, Aug | 8AM - 5PM | On trees |
27 | Robust Cicada | Jul, Aug | 8AM - 5PM | On trees |
28 | Giant Cicada | Jul, Aug | 8AM - 5PM | On trees |
29 | Walker Cicada | Aug, Sept | 8AM - 4PM | On trees |
30 | Evening Cicada | Jul, Aug | 4AM - 8AM, 4PM - 7PM | On trees |
31 | Cicada Shell | Jul, Aug | All hours | On trees |
32 | Red Dragonfly | Sept, Oct | 8AM - 7PM | Flying |
33 | Darner Dragonfly | Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct | 8AM - 5PM | Flying |
34 | Banded Dragonfly | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct | 8AM - 5PM | Flying |
35 | Damselfly | Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec | All hours | Flying |
36 | Firefly | Jun | 7PM - 4AM | Above freshwater |
37 | Mole Cricket | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Nov, Dec | All hours | Underground |
38 | Pondskater | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 8AM - 7PM | In rivers |
39 | Diving Beetle | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 8AM - 7PM | In rivers |
40 | Giant Water Beetle | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 7PM - 8AM | Ponds and rivers |
41 | Stinkbug | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct | All hours | On trees |
42 | Man-faced Stink Bug | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct | 7PM - 8AM | Flowers |
43 | Ladybug | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Oct | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers |
44 | Tiger Beetle | Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct | All hours | Flying |
45 | Jewel Beetle | Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug | All hours | On trees |
46 | Citrus Long-horned Beetle | All months | All hours | Tree stumps |
47 | Rosalia Batesi Beetle | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | All hours | Tree stumps |
48 | Blue Weevil Beetle | Jul, Aug | All hours | On trees |
49 | Violin Beetle | May, Jun, Sept, Oct, Nov | All hours | On trees |
50 | Dung Beetle | Jan, Feb, Dec | All hours | Ground |
51 | Earth-boring Dung Beetle | Jul, Aug, Sept | All hours | Ground |
52 | Scarab Beetle | Jul, Aug | 11PM - 8AM | On trees |
53 | Drone Beetle | Jun, Jul, Aug | All hours | On trees |
54 | Goliath Beetle | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
55 | Saw Stag | Jul, Aug | All hours | On trees |
56 | Miyama Stag | Jul, Aug | All hours | On trees |
57 | Giant Stag | Jul, Aug | 11PM - 8AM | On trees |
58 | Rainbow Stag | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 7PM - 8AM | On trees |
59 | Cyclommatus Stag | Jul, Aug | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
60 | Golden Stag | Jul, Aug | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
61 | Giraffe Stag | Jul, Aug | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
62 | Horned Dynastid | Jul, Aug | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
63 | Horned Atlas | Jul, Aug | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
64 | Horned Elephant | Jul, Aug | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
65 | Horned Hercules | Jul, Aug | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
66 | Walking Stick | Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov | 4AM - 8AM, 5PM - 7PM | On trees |
67 | Walking Leaf | Jul, Aug, Sept | All hours | On ground by trees |
68 | Bagworm | All months | All hours | Shaking trees |
69 | Ant | All months | All hours | On rotten turnips and fruit |
70 | Hermit Crab | All months | 7PM - 8AM | On beach |
71 | Wharf Roach | All months | All hours | On beach rocks |
72 | Fly | All months | All hours | On rotten food and garbage |
73 | Mosquito | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept | 5PM - 4AM | Flying |
74 | Flea | Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov | All hours | On flea-infested villagers |
75 | Snail | All months | All hours | On rocks |
76 | Pillbug | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 11PM - 4PM | Hitting rocks |
77 | Centipede | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 4PM - 11PM | Hitting rocks |
78 | Spider | All months | 7PM - 8AM | Shaking trees |
79 | Tarantula | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec | 7PM - 4AM | Ground |
80 | Scorpion | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct | 7PM - 4AM | Ground |
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bugs - Southern Hemisphere
Now we'll cover insect patterns in the Southern side of the world, which don't tend to overlap with the Northern patterns, barring a few outliers and exceptions. Work through the year and you should come away with a full collection for the Museum!
Animal Crossing New Horizons Southern Hemisphere bugs
Header Cell - Column 0 | Name | Seasonality (South Hem) | Availability | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Common Butterfly | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 4AM - 7PM | Flowers |
2 | Yellow Butterfly | Mar, Apr, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 4AM - 7PM | Flying |
3 | Tiger Butterfly | Jan, Feb, Mar, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 4AM - 7PM | Flying |
4 | Peacock Butterfly | Mar, Apr, May, Jun | 4AM - 7PM | Flowers (Blue, Black, Purple) |
5 | Common Bluebottle | Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov, Dec | 4AM - 7PM | Flying |
6 | Paper Kite Butterfly | All months | 8AM - 7PM (April) | Flying |
7 | Great Purple Emperor | May, Jun, Jul, Aug | 4AM - 7PM | Flying |
8 | Monarch Butterfly | Mar, Apr, May | 4AM - 5PM | Flying |
9 | Emperor Butterfly | Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Dec | 5PM - 8AM | Flying |
10 | Agrias Butterfly | Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 5PM | Flying |
11 | Rajah Brooke's Birdwing | Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug, Oct, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers (Blue, Black, Purple) |
12 | Queen Alexandra's Birdwing | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 4PM | Flying |
13 | Moth | All year round | 7PM - 4AM | Around light |
14 | Atlas Moth | Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec | 7PM - 4AM | On trees |
15 | Madagascan Sunset Moth | Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 4PM | Flying |
16 | Long Locust | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 7PM | In grass |
17 | Migratory Locust | Feb, Mar, Apr, May | 8AM - 7PM | In grass |
18 | Rice Grasshopper | Feb, Mar, Apr, May | 8AM - 7PM | In grass |
19 | Grasshopper | Jan, Feb, Mar | 8AM - 5PM | In grass |
20 | Cricket | Mar, Apr, May | 5PM - 8AM | In grass |
21 | Bell Cricket | Mar, Apr | 5PM - 8AM | In grass |
22 | Mantis | Jan, Mar, Apr, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers |
23 | Orchid Mantis | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers |
24 | Honeybee | Jan, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers |
25 | Wasp | All months | All hours | Shaking trees |
26 | Brown Cicada | Jan, Feb | 8AM - 5PM | On trees |
27 | Robust Cicada | Jan, Feb | 8AM - 5PM | On trees |
28 | Giant Cicada | Jan, Feb | 8AM - 5PM | On trees |
29 | Walker Cicada | Feb, Mar | 8AM - 4PM | On trees |
30 | Evening Cicada | Jan, Feb | 4AM - 8AM, 4PM - 7PM | On trees |
31 | Cicada Shell | Jan, Feb | All hours | On trees |
32 | Red Dragonfly | Mar, Apr | 8AM - 7PM | Flying |
33 | Darner Dragonfly | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 5PM | Flying |
34 | Banded Dragonfly | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 5PM | Flying |
35 | Damselfly | May, Jun, Jul, Aug | All hours | Flying |
36 | Firefly | Dec | 7PM - 4AM | Above freshwater |
37 | Mole Cricket | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov | All hours | Underground |
38 | Pondskater | Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 7PM | In rivers |
39 | Diving Beetle | Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 7PM | In rivers |
40 | Giant Water Beetle | Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec | 7PM - 8AM | Ponds and rivers |
41 | Stinkbug | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | All hours | On trees |
42 | Man-faced Stink Bug | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 7PM - 8AM | Flowers |
43 | Ladybug | Apr, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 8AM - 5PM | Flowers |
44 | Tiger Beetle | Jan, Feb, Mar, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | All hours | Flying |
45 | Jewel Beetle | Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov, Dec | All hours | On trees |
46 | Citrus Long-horned Beetle | All months | All hours | Tree stumps |
47 | Rosalia Batesi Beetle | Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec | All hours | Tree stumps |
48 | Blue Weevil Beetle | Jan, Feb | All hours | On trees |
49 | Violin Beetle | Mar, Apr, May, Nov, Dec | All hours | On trees |
50 | Dung Beetle | Jun, Jul, Aug | All hours | Ground |
51 | Earth-boring Dung Beetle | Jan, Feb, Mar | All hours | Ground |
52 | Scarab Beetle | Jan, Feb | 11PM - 8AM | On trees |
53 | Drone Beetle | Jan, Feb, Dec | All hours | On trees |
54 | Goliath Beetle | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
55 | Saw Stag | Jan, Feb | All hours | On trees |
56 | Miyama Stag | Jan, Feb | All hours | On trees |
57 | Giant Stag | Jan, Feb | 11PM - 8AM | On trees |
58 | Rainbow Stag | Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec | 7PM - 8AM | On trees |
59 | Cyclommatus Stag | Jan, Feb | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
60 | Golden Stag | Jan, Feb | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
61 | Giraffe Stag | Jan, Feb | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
62 | Horned Dynastid | Jan, Feb | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
63 | Horned Atlas | Jan, Feb | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
64 | Horned Elephant | Jan, Feb | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
65 | Horned Hercules | Jan, Feb | 5PM - 8AM | On trees |
66 | Walking Stick | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May | 4AM - 8AM, 5PM - 7PM | On trees |
67 | Walking Leaf | Jan, Feb, Mar | All hours | On ground by trees |
68 | Bagworm | All months | All hours | Shaking trees |
69 | Ant | All months | All hours | On rotten turnips and fruit |
70 | Hermit Crab | All months | 7PM - 8AM | On beach |
71 | Wharf Roach | All months | All hours | On beach rocks |
72 | Fly | All months | All hours | On rotten food and garbage |
73 | Mosquito | Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec | 5PM - 4AM | Flying |
74 | Flea | Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec | All hours | On flea-infested villagers |
75 | Snail | All months | All hours | On rocks |
76 | Pillbug | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec | 11AM - 4PM | Hitting rocks |
77 | Centipede | Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Nov, Dec | 5PM - 11PM | Hitting rocks |
78 | Spider | All months | 7PM - 8AM | Shaking trees |
79 | Tarantula | May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct | 7PM - 4AM | Ground |
80 | Scorpion | Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec | 7PM - 4AM | Ground |
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