Overview
The Bug Trap is an automated crafting station in Starsand Island that passively catches bugs without requiring the player to swing a net. It is part of the automation system alongside the Mining Robot, Logging Robot, and Gathering Robot. Once placed in an outdoor area where bugs spawn, the Bug Trap operates throughout the day and night cycle, collecting insects that the player can retrieve at any time. This frees up significant amounts of stamina and time that would otherwise be spent on manual bug catching.
How to Unlock
The Bug Trap blueprint becomes available after reaching the Expert Crafter tier in the Crafter profession. Expert Crafter is the fourth tier of the crafting progression, following Junior Crafter, Intermediate Crafter, and Senior Crafter. Each tier requires completing a set of trial tasks assigned by Zerine at the General Store in Starsand Town.
Once you reach Expert Crafter status, the Bug Trap blueprint can be purchased from the General Store crafting terminal for 8,000 coins. This is a one-time purchase; after buying the blueprint you can craft as many Bug Traps as your materials allow.
Expert Crafter Requirements
Reaching Expert Crafter requires completing all Senior Crafter trials first. The progression involves crafting increasingly complex items, demonstrating proficiency with multiple crafting stations, and achieving certain production milestones. Players who focus on the crafting profession early can reach Expert Crafter by mid-game.
Crafting Recipe
After purchasing the blueprint, the Bug Trap is crafted at your Worktable II. The recipe uses a mix of refined materials and specialized components.
Material | Quantity | Source |
|---|---|---|
Hardwood Plank | 8 | Process Hardwood at the Cutter |
Iron Sheet | 3 | Process Iron Ingot + Iron Ore at the Cutter |
Fiber Rope | 6 | Craft at the Spinning Wheel from Fiber |
4 | Harvest from Beehives or purchase from shops | |
Ancient Gear Parts | 1 | Analyze Common Ore Chunks at the Ore Analyzer |
Honey is the ingredient that may catch players off guard. If you do not have beehives set up yet, you can purchase Honey from some shops, though the cost adds up if you plan to build multiple Bug Traps.
Placement Rules
The Bug Trap must be placed outdoors in an area where bugs naturally spawn to function correctly. Placing it indoors, inside your home, or in locations without bug spawn points will result in no catches. The trap works best in grassy areas, near flowers, close to water sources, and at the edges of forested zones.
Each Bug Trap has an effective radius of approximately 5 tiles around its placement point. Bugs that spawn within this radius are automatically captured. Placing multiple traps too close together wastes their overlapping coverage, so space them out to maximize the total area covered.
Optimal Placement Locations
Location Type | Bug Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Flower gardens | Butterflies, Bees, Ladybugs | High spawn rate during daytime |
Near ponds and rivers | Dragonflies, Water Striders | Consistent spawns in warm seasons |
Forest edges | Beetles, Cicadas, Fireflies | Good variety; some species are nocturnal |
Grassy plains | Grasshoppers, Crickets | Crickets spawn at night for higher value |
Near fruit trees | Rhinoceros Beetles, Stag Beetles | Rare and high-value bug spawns |
How the Bug Trap Works
Once placed, the Bug Trap operates automatically during each in-game day/night cycle. The trap checks for bug spawns in its radius at regular intervals and captures any bugs it detects. The capture rate depends on the density of bugs in the area and the time of day, since some species only spawn during specific hours.
The Bug Trap has an internal storage capacity of 20 bugs. Once full, the trap stops catching until you collect the stored bugs. A visual indicator (a small exclamation mark above the trap) appears when the storage is full. Check your traps at least once per in-game day to keep them running at maximum efficiency.
To collect bugs from a trap, interact with it and select 'Collect All.' The caught bugs go directly into your inventory. If your inventory is full, excess bugs remain in the trap until you make space.
Comparison to Manual Bug Catching
Manual bug catching using the Bug Net costs 4 stamina per catch and requires the player to physically approach each bug and swing the net at the right time. Some bugs are fast and require precise timing, which can result in failed attempts that still consume stamina. The Bug Trap eliminates all of these costs.
Factor | Manual (Bug Net) | Bug Trap |
|---|---|---|
Stamina cost | 4 per catch | None |
Time investment | High (chasing, timing swings) | None (fully passive) |
Skill required | Moderate (timing-dependent) | None |
Bug variety | Player chooses targets | Random from local spawns |
Rare bug chance | Higher (player can target) | Lower (random captures) |
Scalability | Limited by stamina | Limited by number of traps |
The trade-off is control. Manual catching lets you target specific species, while the Bug Trap catches whatever spawns in its area. For players who need specific rare bugs for quests or collections, manual catching with the net remains the better option. For bulk bug farming (especially for bait production), the Bug Trap is far more efficient.
Uses for Caught Bugs
Bugs caught by the Bug Trap serve several purposes in the game:
Use | Details |
|---|---|
Bug Bait for fishing | Many bugs can be converted into bait at the crafting bench, which is essential for catching specific fish species |
NPC gifts | Some villagers love receiving specific bug types as gifts, boosting friendship levels |
Selling for coins | Rare bugs like Rhinoceros Beetles and Fireflies sell for high prices at shops |
Islandpedia completion | Catching every bug species contributes to your Islandpedia collection tracker |
Quest requirements | Various quests and trials require delivering specific bugs or quantities |
Bug Bait Integration
One of the most valuable uses for trapped bugs is converting them into bait for fishing. Different bug types produce different bait varieties, and certain fish can only be caught with specific bait. Running several Bug Traps in different environments gives you a steady supply of diverse bait ingredients without spending any stamina on bug catching.
Multiple Trap Strategy
Players who invest in the Bug Trap system typically build 3 to 5 traps and distribute them across different biomes on the island. This approach maximizes the variety of bugs caught and ensures a steady supply of materials for bait crafting, gifting, and selling.
Place one trap near your farm's flower garden for daytime butterflies and bees.
Place one trap near a river or pond for dragonflies and water-dwelling insects.
Place one trap at a forest edge for beetles and cicadas.
Place one trap in an open grassy area for grasshoppers and crickets.
Place one trap near fruit trees for rare beetle species.
With five traps running simultaneously, you can collect 50 to 100 bugs per day without spending a single point of stamina. This volume supports a full bait production operation and provides extra income from selling surplus bugs.
Seasonal Bug Availability
Bug spawns vary by season, which affects what the Bug Trap catches throughout the year. During spring and summer, insect activity is highest and traps fill up quickly. Fall sees a reduction in most species, though some autumn-specific bugs appear. Winter has the lowest bug activity, with only a few cold-resistant species spawning.
Plan your bait stockpiling around seasonal availability. Craft and store large quantities of bug bait during spring and summer to carry you through the leaner fall and winter months when trap output drops significantly.
Tips
Check your traps at least once per in-game day. A full trap stops catching, so regular collection keeps output maximized.
Space traps at least 10 tiles apart to avoid overlapping coverage areas.
Place traps near areas you frequently pass through (between your farm and town, for example) so checking them is part of your daily route.
During spring and summer, consider building temporary extra traps to capitalize on the higher bug spawn rates.
Keep a dedicated storage chest near each trap cluster for quick bug sorting and bait ingredient organization.
If you need a specific rare bug, use manual catching with the Bug Net instead. The trap's random selection makes targeting individual species unreliable.
Honey (used in the crafting recipe) can be farmed passively from beehives, creating a nice synergy where one passive system feeds into another.