Bug Catching Guide

Overview

Bug catching is a side activity available from the very start of Starsand Island. After completing the tutorial with Solara, you receive a blueprint for the Bug Net, and you can begin catching insects immediately. There are 20 insect species spread across the island and the Moonlit Forest, each with specific location, season, weather, and time-of-day requirements. Catching bugs provides a reliable source of early income, supplies cooking ingredients through the Separator, and fills out your Islandpedia.

Crafting the Bug Net

The Bug Net blueprint is included in the Basic Tools Manual from Solara. You receive it automatically after building your first bed during the tutorial. The crafting recipe is simple:

Craft it at Worktable I (the starter workbench). Both materials are available within the first few minutes of gameplay, so you can have a Bug Net almost immediately. There are no upgraded tiers of the Bug Net. One net works for all 20 species throughout the entire game.

How to Catch Bugs

Catching insects is straightforward in concept but requires patience and good timing. Most bugs flee when you approach at full speed, so mastering the sneaking approach is essential.

Step-by-Step Technique

1. Equip the Bug Net in your hotbar. You need it actively selected to swing.

2. Spot a bug in the wild. Butterflies flutter near flower patches, dragonflies hover over water, fireflies glow in forests at night, and beetles crawl on trees and the ground.

3. Toggle walk mode. Press CTRL on PC or R3 on controller. Walking reduces (or eliminates) the chance that the bug will flee as you approach.

4. Watch the pattern. Bugs follow predictable flight or crawl paths. Observe for a few seconds before swinging to learn the pattern.

5. Lead your swing. There is roughly half a second of delay between pressing the button and the net coming down. Aim where the bug is about to be, not where it is right now.

6. Wait on a miss. If you miss, stop and wait 10 to 15 seconds. The bug will calm down and resume its pattern. Chasing after a miss is ineffective.

Tips for Difficult Catches

• Butterflies are the trickiest. They only appear in sunny or snowy weather and fly erratic patterns near flower patches. Approach from behind their flight direction and swing early.

• Fireflies only appear at night (after 6 PM). Their glow makes them easy to spot, but forest terrain can block your swing. Find open clearings where fireflies hover.

• Moonlit Forest bugs (Celeb Moth and Velbee) spawn only inside the dungeon. You may need to clear enemies to safely catch them.

• Stamina management: Each catch costs 4 stamina. Bring food or plan routes near the Hot Springs for recovery on long catching runs.

All 20 Bug Species

The table below lists every catchable insect in Starsand Island with its spawn conditions. All 20 species are registered in the Islandpedia under the Bugs section.

Flower Bugs (6 Species)

These butterflies spawn near flower patches across the island. All require sunny or snowy weather and are active during daytime hours.

The Bumblebee is the easiest to catch since it spawns in any weather. Bumblebees are also involved in beekeeping; you can obtain them by picking up fallen wild beehives, which gives you Honeycomb and usually a few Bumblebees.

Forest Bugs (8 Species)

Forest insects spawn in wooded areas throughout the island. Several are nocturnal, so plan evening trips to catch them.

Cicadas and Mantis are seasonal (Spring through Autumn), while the Hornscarabs and Fireflies spawn year-round. The Glazed Firefly is listed separately below as it is sometimes grouped with the colored fireflies.

Water Bugs (3 Species)

Dragonflies hover near bodies of water such as ponds, rivers, and the lake. They spawn in any season and any weather.

Dragonflies despawn at 8 PM, so catch them during daytime hours. They are relatively easy to catch since they hover in place before darting to a new spot.

Night-Only Insects (1 Species)

The Glazed Firefly shares the same nocturnal schedule as the colored fireflies but is a distinct species in the Islandpedia.

Moonlit Forest Bugs (2 Species)

These two species spawn exclusively inside the Moonlit Forest dungeon area. They can be found at any time of day, in any season, and in any weather.

The Moonlit Forest contains enemies, so bring a weapon and some food along with your Bug Net. The Celeb Moth and Velbee are the only insects exclusive to this area.

What to Do With Bugs

Bugs serve several purposes beyond filling out the Islandpedia. Here are the main uses for caught insects:

Selling for Coins

Selling bugs directly is one of the easiest ways to earn money in the early game. Simply open a shop and sell from your inventory. Rarer species tend to sell for more, though exact prices vary.

Separator Processing

Putting bugs into a Separator produces Protein Powder, a basic cooking ingredient used in multiple recipes. Note that processing items in the Separator can decrease their total value compared to selling the raw bug, so check the math before converting.

Bulletin Board Requests

The Bulletin Board in Starsand Town occasionally posts requests for specific bug species. Fulfilling these requests awards Starsand Points (SP) and Coins.

Beekeeping

Bumblebees are used in the ranching system. You can raise bees as an animal to produce honey and related products. Bumblebees can be caught with the Bug Net or obtained from wild beehives.

Moonlit Forest Progression

Certain bugs, particularly the Luminwing Butterfly, play a role in unlocking secrets within the Moonlit Forest dungeon. Catching specific species can open pathways or trigger events in the forest.

Efficient Catching Routes

To catch all 20 species efficiently, plan your routes by time of day and location:

• Morning (6:00 to 12:00): Start near flower patches for all five butterfly species, then move to water for dragonflies. Check forests for cicadas and beetles.

• Afternoon (12:00 to 18:00): Continue the same route. Butterflies and dragonflies are still active. Catch any forest bugs you missed.

• Evening (18:00 to 20:00): Rush to water before dragonflies despawn at 8 PM. Fireflies start appearing in forests.

• Night (20:00 to 2:00): Focus on all four firefly species in the forest. This is the only window for nocturnal insects.

• Moonlit Forest: Visit separately with combat gear. The Celeb Moth and Velbee are available at any time.

Season Planning

Most bugs spawn in all four seasons, but three species are seasonal:

If you want to complete your Islandpedia, make sure to catch the Cicada, Glazed Cicada, and Mantis before winter arrives. The remaining 17 species can be caught year-round.

Weather Requirements

The five daytime butterflies (Moonshade, Swallowtail, Luminwing, Solarwing, and Rainbowing) require either sunny or snowy weather. They will not appear during rain. The Bumblebee and all other species spawn regardless of weather. If you are targeting butterflies and it starts raining, switch to catching forest or water bugs until the weather clears.

Related Articles

• Bug Net - tool details and crafting

• Bugs - full species reference page

• Separator - processing bugs into ingredients

• Moonlit Forest - dungeon with exclusive insects

• Ranching - beekeeping with Bumblebees

• Islandpedia - tracking collected species