Bug Net

Overview

The Bug Net is a handheld tool for catching insects. It is one of the first tools you can craft, available right after the tutorial, and it stays useful throughout the game. Catching bugs feeds into several systems: selling for early Coins, processing into cooking ingredients, stocking beehives, completing Islandpedia entries, and progressing through the Moonlit Forest.

How to craft

The Bug Net blueprint comes from Solara as part of the Basic Tools Manual, which you receive during the tutorial after building your first bed. The crafting recipe is:

• 2 Fiber

• 2 Softwood

• Crafted at: Worktable I (the starter workbench)

Both Fiber and Softwood are foraged from the environment in the first few minutes of gameplay, so you can build a Bug Net almost immediately.

Catching mechanics

Approach

Bugs flee when you run toward them. To get close, toggle to walking speed by pressing CTRL on PC. Slowly creep up until you are within swing range. Running at full speed scares most insects away before you can swing.

Timing the swing

Your character has a slight delay when swinging the net, roughly half a second between pressing the button and the net coming down. You need to anticipate where the bug will be and swing early. Watch the insect's movement pattern for a moment before committing.

Stamina cost

Each catch costs 4 stamina. If you are on a long bug-catching run, bring food or plan around the Hot Springs for recovery.

Profession upgrade

Later in the Explorer profession tree, there is a Workpedia upgrade that makes insects stop fleeing when you approach. Once unlocked, you can run up to bugs freely without sneaking.

What bugs are used for

Selling

Bugs sell for 30 to 100 Coins each depending on species. This is decent early-game income, especially since catching only costs Fiber, Softwood, and stamina.

Protein Powder

Process caught bugs through a Separator crafting station to produce Protein Powder, a cooking ingredient. The Separator blueprint is available from Zerine's General Store.

Bulletin Board requests

NPCs sometimes request specific bug species on the Bulletin Board. Keeping a small stockpile of common bugs lets you fill these requests quickly for bonus Coins and Affection.

Beekeeping

Catching Bumblebees is how you stock your ranch beehives. Bumblebees spawn near flowers (notably around Zephyria's house to the northwest). You can also get them by chopping Banyan or White Fig trees that have small yellow beehives hanging from their branches. Once placed in a Ranch Beehive (unlocked at Intermediate Rancher), Bumblebees produce honey automatically from 7:00 to 19:00 with no feeding required.

Luminwing Butterflies

Five Luminwing Butterflies are needed to repair the Luminpath in the Dreamfall Garden area of the Moonlit Forest. This unlocks the bridge to the Crystalith Hideout and the boss fight beyond it. Luminwing Butterflies spawn specifically in Dreamfall Garden, near the Moondew Shrooms at the back, between 6:00 and 18:00 on Sunny or Snowy days.

Islandpedia and display

Each bug species counts toward Islandpedia stamp completion, which awards milestone prizes. Bugs can also be placed in your house as decoration.

Where to find bugs

Rain suppresses some insect spawns, particularly butterflies. If nothing is appearing, check the weather.

Tips

• Carry a Bug Net at all times in your early game. Bugs you pass on the way to other tasks are free money.

• Toggle walk mode (CTRL) before approaching. The half-second swing delay means you need to be close and precise.

• Bumblebees near flowers are easy catches and directly feed into beekeeping. Catch a few every day if you are building up hives.

• Save 5 Luminwing Butterflies for the Moonlit Forest Luminpath. Do not sell them.

• Fireflies only appear at night (18:00 to 2:00). If you need them for the Islandpedia, plan a dedicated evening run.

• Chopping Banyan and White Fig trees with visible yellow hives drops both Honeycomb and Bumblebees, giving two resources at once.

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