Animal Crossing: New Leaf/Bugs

How to Catch Bugs

Bugs can be a little harder to collect compared to fish. With fish you know they will be in the water, however bugs are found in a number of different places throughout your town. You will need a net in order to catch bugs. You can buy a net at Nookling Junction for 500 Bells.

Due to the fact that bugs are found in a number of different places in your town it is important to keep a lookout. It is also advisable to have your sound turned up as a lot of the bugs make noise, which can help you locate them. When you're hunting bugs on the trees or on the ground it's recommendable go as far south as you can and proceed northwards: you'll have a much better view of the surroundings.

Some bugs only appear on coconut or banana trees, so be sure to plant some.

The bugs available to catch depend on several different factors such as time of day, month, and even weather conditions. If you are trying to get a particular bug first be sure you are hunting at the right time of day.

This is a list of the different times of day you can catch bugs.

• Morning: 4:00am-9:00am
• Noon: 9:00am-4:00pm
• Evening: 4:00pm-8:00pm
• Night: 8:00pm-4:00am

Common places to find bugs

• In trees: Bees are the most common bugs to be found inside tress. In order to get the bees you have to shake the tree and wait for the beehive to fall out. When this happens you only have a few seconds to catch one. If you fail to catch a bee you will be stung in the face. The bee sting can be cured by taking medicine or by saving your game. Once you return to the game, the sting will be gone. You can also cure bee stings by opening your town gate. If you are not trying to catch bees and you don't want them to fall when you shake the trees, open the gate and the only things that fall down will be bells and furniture. Spiders are also found by shaking trees, although they aren't as common as bees.
• On trees: A lot of bugs are found sitting on the tree trunks. Sometimes they can blend in and are hard to see, so it’s a good idea to walk around slowly if you want to catch them. Just like fish, they bugs will fly (or run) away if you scare them. The best way to catch bugs on trees is to slowly approach the tree from the front. Then, when your characters head is approximately half-way up the trunk, swing the net. You should also have a few palm trees on your beach, as a number of beetles can only be found on this type of tree.
• By garbage: Although it is a bad idea to leave garbage lying around in your town, this can be a good way to attract flies. Flies are hard to catch, but a loud buzzing noise will alert players to their presence. If you leave out garbage or spoiled turnips, flies will be attracted to them. Spoiled turnips also attract ants.
• Underground: Bugs like the mole cricket spend their time underground. It’s a good idea to keep your volume up, as this is the only way to tell where they are. You will have to dig a few holes before the bug shows itself. Once the bug is above ground you can catch it with your net.
• Near lights: Just like in real life, moths like to fly around lights. In the evenings and at night you will find moths flying around the lighted windows and lights in your town.
• On the ground: One of the most common places you will find bugs is on the ground. You will find more bugs on the ground in spring and summer than in winter. You will have to chase some bugs around before you can catch them. Some bugs will chase you before you catch them. The best way is to slowly walk toward them so you don't scare them away or make them attack you, which usually consists of falling unconscious and waking up at your house groggy.
• On neighbours: Unfortunately some of the villagers in your town may get fleas from time to time. This is an easy way to catch this bug. Simply swing you net at the villager and you will catch a flea. Be careful when hitting villagers with nets (and other tools). If you hit them when they don’t have fleas you will make them angry.
• On flowers: Snails, honeybees, butterflies and other bugs can be found on or around flowers, so it makes sense to have a good variety in your town.
• In the air: A number of bugs can be found happily flying around. Many butterflies and dragonflies can be found this way. Just be on the lookout for these bugs!

What to do with bugs

Like the fish, there are a few different things you can do with them.

• Donate them to the museum: The museum is empty until you start donating things. Blathers will accept a newly caught bug from you, as long as you haven’t already donated that specific breed (you will quickly discover that Blathers has a fear of bugs!). When you donate a bug to Blathers, he will tell you a number of facts about it, which usually includes the thing that disgusts him the most about it! Once you’ve donated the bug you can check the bug section of the museum and see all the bugs you have donated.
• Sell them: You can sell any bugs you have at Re-Tail or Nookling Junction, preferably at Re-Tail as they pay more for your items. The price differs depending on species and whether you have the Wealthy Town Ordinance enacted. Some bugs sell for 200 bells, while others (like the Golden Stag) can sell for 12,000 bells! This is handy to help pay off that mortgage!
• Give them to a villager: Every so often villagers in your town will want certain items. Usually these items are clothes, furniture, bugs or fish. If you are able to provide the villager with the bug (or item) they requested you will usually receive a reward. This can be money or another item.
• Display them in your house: There are certain bugs that you will be proud of catching. Scorpions make interesting talking points when you have friends in your town via Wi-Fi. It is also handy to store larger bugs in your house while you wait for the ‘Bug-off’ tournament.

List of Bugs

Please note that if you have the Wealthy Town Ordinance enacted in your town, these prices will increase by 20%.

Name	Image	Price (Bells)	Location	Months available	Times available
Common Butterfly		90	Near Flowers	March-June, September	4am-7pm (Mar-Jun), 8am to 4pm (Sep)
Yellow Butterfly		90	Near Flowers	March-June, September	4am-7pm (Mar-Jun), 8am to 4pm (Sep)
Tiger Butterfly		160	Near Flowers	March-September	4am-7pm (Mar-Jun), 8am-5pm (Jul-Aug), 8am-4pm (Aug)
Peacock Butterfly		220	Near blue, purple or black Flowers	March-September	4am-7pm (Mar-Jun), 4am-5pm (Jul), 8am-5pm (Aug), 8am-4pm (Sep)
Monarch Butterfly		140	Near Flowers	September-November	4am-5pm (Sep-Oct), 8am-5pm (Nov)
Emperor Butterfly		2,500	Near Flowers	June-September	7pm-8am
Agrias Butterfly		3,000	Near Flowers	June-September	8am-5pm
Raja B. Butterfly		2,500	Near rivers or ponds	May-September	8am-5pm
Birdwing Butterfly		4,000	Flying	June-September	8am-4pm
Moth		60	Flying (near lights)	May-September	7pm-4am
Oak Silk Moth		1,200	On tree trunks	June-September	7pm-4am
Honeybee		100	Near Flowers	March-July	8am-5pm (Mar-Jun), 8am-4pm (Jul)
Bee		2,500	In trees	All year	All day
Long Locust		200	Ground	May-November	8am-7pm
Migratory Locust		600	Ground	August-November	8am-7pm
Rice Grasshopper		400	Ground	August-November	8am-7pm
Mantis		430	On flowers	April-November	8am-5pm
Orchid Mantis		2,400	On white flowers	April-November	8am-5pm
Brown Cicada		200	On trees	July-August	8am-5pm
Robust Cicada		300	On trees	July-August	8am-5pm
Giant Cicada		500	On trees	July-August	8am-5pm
Walker Cicada		400	On trees	July-September	8am-5pm
Evening Cicada		550	On trees	July-August	4am-8pm, 4pm-7pm
Cicada Shell		100	On trees	July-August	All day
Lantern Fly		1,800	On trees	June-September	4pm-7pm, 11pm-8am (June-September), 4pm-8am (July-August)
Red Dragonfly		80	Flying	September-October	8am-7pm
Darner Dragonfly		200	Flying	June-August	8am-5pm
Banded Dragonfly	File:ACNL bandeddragonfly.png	4,500	Flying	July-August	8am-5pm
Petaltail Dragonfly		8,000	Flying	August-October	5pm-7pm
Ant		80	Candy, rotton food	All year	All day
Pondskater		130	Water	May-September	8am-7pm
Diving Beetle		800	Water	May-September	8am-5pm
Stinkbug		120	On trees	April-October	All day
Snail		250	On bushes	April-September	All day (rain)
Cricket		160	Ground	September-November	5pm-8am
Bell Cricket		1,720	Ground	September-October	5pm-8am
Grasshopper		160	Ground	July-September	4pm-5pm (July), 8am-5pm (August-September)
Mole Cricket	File:ACNL molecricket.png	280	Underground	November-May	All day
Walking Leaf		600	Ground (looks like furniture icon)	July-September	8am-5pm
Walking Stick		600	On trees	July-November	4am-8am, 5pm-7pm (July-August), 4am-7pm (September-November
Bagworm	File:ACNL bagworm.png	300	In trees	October-February	All day
Ladybug		200	On flowers	March-June, October	8am-5pm
Violin Beetle		260	On stumps	June, September-November	4am-7pm (June), 4am-5pm (September-October), 8am-5pm (November)
Longhorn Beetle		260	On stumps	July-August	11pm-7am
Tiger Beetle		1,500	Ground	March-October	8am-7pm
Dung Beetle	File:ACNL dungbeetle.png	800	Rolling snowballs	December-February	5pm-8am
Wharf Roach		200	Beach	All year	All day
Hermit Crab		1,000	Island	All year	All day
Firefly		300	Flying (near river)	June	7pm-4am
Fruit Beetle		100	On trees	July-September	All day (July-August), 7pm-8am (September)
Scarab Beetle	File:ACNL scarabbeetle.png	6,000	On trees	July-August	11pm-8am
Jewel Beetle		2,400	On trees	July-August	8am-5pm
Miyama Stag		1,000	On trees	July-August	All day
Saw Stag		2,000	On trees	July-August	All day
Giant Stag		10,000	On trees	July-August	11pm-8am
Rainbow Stag		10,000	On trees	June-September	7pm-8am (June, September), 5pm-8am (July-August)
Cyclommatus Stag		8,000	On palm trees	July-August	5pm-8am
Golden Stag		12,000	On palm trees	July-August	5pm-8am
Horned Dynastid		1,350	On trees	July-August	5pm-8am
Horned Atlas		8,000	Palm trees	June-August	5pm-8am
Horned Elephant		8,000	On palm trees	July-August	5pm-8am
Horned Hercules		12,000	On palm trees	July-August	5pm-8am
Goliath Beetle		6,000	On palm trees	June-September	7am-8pm (June, September), July-August (5pm-8am)
Flea		70	On villagers	March-November	All day
Pillbug		250	Under rocks	September-June	All day
Mosquito		130	Flying	June-September	5pm-4am
Fly	File:ACNL fly.png	60	Flying (near trash, candy, rotton turnips)	All year	All day
House Centipede	File:ACNL housecentipede.png	250	Under rocks	August-October	7pm-8am
Centipede		300	Under rocks	June-February	4pm-11pm
Spider		300	In fruit trees	March-October	All day (March-June, September), 7pm-8am (July-August), 11pm-4pm (October)
Tarantula	File:ACNL tarantula.png	8,000	Ground	June-August	7pm-4am
Scorpion		8,000	Ground	July-September	7pm-4am