One of the biggest appeals for the Animal Crossing series has always been its array of fish and insects, which can be caught and displayed in Blathers' museum and pawned for Bells. These critters bring an organic element to the game - with their unique behaviors and countless varieties that can be seen at varying seasons and times in the day.
Bug-catching in New Horizons can really be a rewarding and enjoyable endeavor. This is thanks to the wide range of exotic and valuable bugs as well as Blathers' epic museum. There's also the Nook Miles system which further incentives this activity.
While hunting for insects can be a fun and laid-back task, it's important to go in with a plan of attack, given the costs and time involved in this.
With that said, here are 10 pro tips that can help you get the most out of your bug-catching escapades.
10 Prioritize Hunting At Night
While there are plenty of notable bug varieties during the day, it typically makes more sense to prioritize insect hunting in the evening hours (7pm - 4am).
Not only are more significant types of bugs more likely to show, but this is also when scorpions or tarantulas will emerge. These will differ depending on the season. Tarantulas will populate the island from November to April, while scorpions will show up from May to October in the Northern hemisphere.
Annoying attacks aside, these bugs are definitely worth the hunt, as they'll each sell at Nook's shop for 8,000 Bells apiece.
9 Focus On Bug-Catching When Flick Is Around
As it turns out, there's another NPC in New Horizons to hand in bugs to besides Nook and Blathers. Meet Flick - a bug enthusiast who occasionally makes appearances on the island.
This peculiar character can be seen wandering around while fittingly carrying a net. Once per season, he'll offer the opportunity to participate in a "Bug Off" competition, giving players chances to turn their bug-nabbing endeavors into competitions that offer winnings in the form of bug swag.
More importantly, though, Flick's love of insects can be exploited for cold hard cash as well. In fact, bugs can be sold to him for 150% of their usual value.
8 Prepare Your Net Supply
Nets are the go-to tool and weapon for bug-catchers in New Horizons.
Though the appropriately-named "Flimsy" net is fine enough in a pinch, they're not a great long-term solution on account of how often they break. Still, if you value quantity over quantity, they can be crafted using naught but 5 tree branches or bought at Nook's shop for just 400 Bells.
Still, the more durable non-Flimsy net is definitely worth the investment. Not only does it last longer (30 caught bugs vs just 10), but it can be crafted with little sweat as well. A Flimsy net and Iron Nugget is all it takes to make one.
7 Get To Know Their Behaviors
Bugs can be a bit trickier to nab than fish, as they occupy a wider range of behaviors and movements. Bugs might hover around flowers, hop from place to place (grasshoppers), or perch upon a tree stump, as beetles do. They may coast along the surface of the water or pop out of trees when shaking them.
As a result, it's a good idea to get acquainted with these bugs and study their patterns - especially the rarer, more valuable types. Doing so will increase the odds of scoring a catch, rather than "swinging and missing" and discouragingly watch the bug fly away.
6 Have Tree Stumps On Your Island To Draw Beetles
As mentioned, there are different behaviors as well as conditions for each type of bug in NH. Beetles are particularly interesting, as they have the distinct habit of sitting on abandoned tree stumps. This is something savvy bug catchers will want to watch for, for a number of reasons.
For one, beetles make up some of the more valuable insects in the game. Bugs like the Jewel Beetle can bring in 2,400 Bells, while the Goliath Beetle can yield a whopping 8,000 Bells! What's more, these stumps provide a relatively simpler, focused, and reliable source to catch bugs. They also show up in these spots pretty frequently.
5 Scope Out And Shake Trees - But Bring Medicine!
Shaking trees can be a rewarding, but somewhat risky endeavor. They can unearth a number of unique, and sometimes valuable bugs, such as spiders and bagworms. The coveted 3,000 Bell Atlas Moth can also be found perched upon the side of a tree in the evening hours.
However, you'll want to be careful when shaking them, as doing so may summon an angry swarm of wasps. This can be an annoying bump in the road that will deform your avatar's face. Yet there is good news. For one - a simple dose of medicine will heal this. They can be had for relatively cheap at Nook's shop (400 Bells), or can be crafted using wasp nests and weeds.
Those who actually manage to nab these pests before getting stung will be able to sell them for 2,500 Bells. It's certainly worth the hazards involved!
4 Tiptoe Towards The Bug
Nets come with a handy feature in NH - the ability to sneak towards a bug while wielding it. Of course, players can opt for walking slowly in the normal fashion, though this is a someone more finicky, less-reliable action.
But with a net, players can simply hold down the "A" button while aimed in the direction of the unsuspecting critter. This will increase the chances of successfully catching it, as it's less likely to startle them. This is partly because of the built-in mechanic that triggers a net swipe once you're within range of the insect.
3 Take The Tour
One of NH's enjoyable features is the ability to take a trip to a unique "Mystery" island. Not only can this yield valuable foreign fruit and even new villagers to recruit, but it's often home to more unique and valuable insects. The game will randomly cycle through a number of pre-set Mystery island templates. These vary in terms of valuable resources, but there's certainly the chance to come upon a more lucrative one.
One example is the "Rare Flower" island, which offers the potential to yield rare types of moths and butterflies.
You'll definitely want to save up for the 2,000 Nook Miles required to secure a Nook Miles ticket.
2 Flowers And More Flowers
Though the aforementioned tarantulas and scorpions thrive in barren island regions, the majority of bugs can be found around growth. Usually, this means flowers - though it also includes things like rotten fruit and even trash.
Spend some time searching areas heavily populated with these flowers, as bugs will often be basking in these flowers. If there isn't much of this growth, take the time out to grow a garden full of a variety of different flowers. Quantity and variance are both important here, as this will draw a larger amount of bugs of different breeds.
Common types like ladybugs can be found here, though there's also the potential to find some more valuable insects like Man-faced Stinkbugs and Orchid Mantises as well.
1 Farm For Tarantulas/Scorpions
It's possible to exploit the increased chances of running into tarantulas/scorpions at a Mystery island. This can be achieved by clearing it out of all growth - including flowers and weeds, as well as trees and their stumps.
Doing so will create the conditions to potentially summon a number of these highly-valued bugs. While this can be a major task, the small landmass of these islands ensures you won't be spending too much time clearing the way for these critters.