Animal Crossing: New Horizons has plenty of collectibles for players to obtain. Each season, the available selection of fish and bugs to capture changes, as well as slight changes month-to-month, so you’ll need to log in regularly if you wish to complete your in-game collection.
This guide will contain tips for catching a variety of bugs, as well as a rundown of the bugs visiting your island in the Northern Hemisphere this October 2021.
Bug-catching tips
Some bugs will only appear in certain locations or circumstances. For instance, to catch an ant you can leave out a rotten turnip. Some bugs, such as stink bugs, only appear on flowers – while others only appear on tree stumps. Make sure that you have a variety of these locations so bugs can spawn.
If you decide to go island-hopping for your bug-hunt, bring 2 or 3 nets so you don’t have to shell out to Dodo Airlines if one breaks.
When trying to catch deadly tarantulas or scorpions, there are a couple of methods you can take. Either ace your timing and creep up from afar, or you can dig a circle of holes with your shovel. When the tarantula/scorpion chases you, hop over the holes and they won’t be able to get to you. Then you can catch them with ease.
Seasons change
One of the things that makes Animal Crossing unique is that the game is played in real time: the in-game time reflects the clock on your switch. Thanks to this, the Animal Crossing series has become well known as a slow-paced and relaxing game. It’s perfect for casual gamers, looking to unwind.
This October, the ladybug will be joining the rota of creatures on your island. The tiger butterfly, atlas moth, diving beetle, mosquito, and more are no longer available, as they left last month.
Northern Hemisphere Bugs, October
- Common butterfly: Flying, 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. (160 bells)
- Yellow butterfly: Flying, 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. (160 bells)
- Paper kite butterfly: Flying, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (1,000 bells)
- Monarch butterfly: Flying, 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. (140 bells)
- Moth: Flying near light sources, 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. (130 bells)
- Long locust: On the ground, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (200 bells)
- Migratory locust: On the ground, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (600 bells)
- Rice grasshopper: On the ground, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (160 bells)
- Cricket: On the ground, 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. (130 bells)
- Bell cricket: On the ground, 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. (430 bells)
- Mantis: On flowers, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (430 bells)
- Orchid mantis: On white flowers, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (2,400 bells)
- Wasp: Shaking trees, all day (2,500 bells)
- Red dragonfly: Flying, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (180 bells)
- Darner dragonfly: Flying, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (230 bells)
- Banded dragonfly: Flying, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (4,500 bells)
- Stinkbug: On flowers, all day (120 bells)
- Man-faced stink bug: On flowers, 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. (1,000 bells)
- Ladybug: On flowers, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (200 bells)
- Tiger beetle: On the ground, all day (1,500 bells)
- Violin beetle: On tree stumps, all day (450 bells)
- Citrus long-horned beetle: On tree stumps, all day (350 bells)
- Walking stick: On trees, 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (600 bells)
- Bagworm: Shaking trees, all day (600 bells)
- Ant: On rotten food, all day (80 bells)
- Hermit crab: Disguised as shells, 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. (1,000 bells)
- Wharf roach: On rocks at the beach, all day (200 bells)
- Fly: On trash, all day (30 bells)
- Snail: On rocks and bushes during rain, all day (250 bells)
- Pill bug: Hitting rocks, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (250 bells)
- Centipede: Hitting rocks, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. (300 bells)
- Spider: Shaking trees, 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. (480 bells)
- Scorpion: On the ground, 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. (8,000 bells)
If you decided to make your island in the Southern Hemisphere instead, here is the full list of bugs available for you:
Southern Hemisphere bugs, October
- Common butterfly: Flying, 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. (160 bells)
- Yellow butterfly: Flying, 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. (160 bells)
- Tiger butterfly: Flying, 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. (240 bells)
- Peacock butterfly: Flying by hybrid flowers, 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. (2,500 bells)
- Paper kite butterfly: Flying, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (1,000 bells)
- Agrias butterfly: Flying, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (3,000 bells)
- Rajah Brooke’s birdwing: Flying, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (2,500 bells)
- Moth: Flying near light sources, 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. (130 bells)
- Atlas moth: On trees, 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. (3,000 bells)
- Madagascan sunset moth: Flying, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (2,500 bells)
- Long locust: On the ground, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (200 bells)
- Mantis: On flowers, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (430 bells)
- Orchid mantis: On white flowers, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (2,400 bells)
- Honeybee: Flying, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (200 bells)
- Wasp: Shaking trees, all day (2,500 bells)
- Darner dragonfly: Flying, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (230 bells)
- Mole cricket: Underground, all day (500 bells)
- Giant water bug: On freshwater, 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. (2,000 bells)
- Stinkbug: On flowers, all day (120 bells)
- Man-faced stink bug: On flowers, 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. (1,000 bells)
- Ladybug: On flowers, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (200 bells)
- Tiger beetle: On the ground, all day (1,500 bells)
- Jewel beetle: On tree stumps, all day (2,400 bells)
- Citrus long-horned beetle: On tree stumps, all day (350 bells)
- Bagworm: Shaking trees, all day (600 bells)
- Ant: On rotten food, all day (80 bells)
- Hermit crab: Disguised as shells, 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. (1,000 bells)
- Wharf roach: On rocks at the beach, all day (200 bells)
- Fly: On trash, all day (60 bells)
- Flea: On villagers, all day (70 bells)
- Snail: On rocks and bushes during rain, all day (250 bells)
- Pill bug: Hitting rocks, 11 p.m. to 4 p.m. (250 bells)
- Centipede: Hitting rocks, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. (300 bells)
- Spider: Shaking trees, 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. (480 bells)
- Tarantula: On the ground, 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. (8,000 bells)
Get to work catching those bugs to complete your museum displays, and pay off your crippling debts to Tom Nook while you’re at it!
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