While you take a gamble when fishing in Animal Crossing due to the fact that you can't see what a fish is before you catch it, insects are a bit easier to identify. You can seek out the most profitable to burn your net durability on much easier than fishing.
Some insects sell for a hefty price, meaning you can spend a day hunting bugs and use the profits to pay off your next loan. Here are the most profitable that you should keep an eye out for in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and how to catch them.
Updated June 21st, 2020 By Helen Ashcroft: At this point, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been out long enough for us to properly assess the number and value of the bugs in the game. While most of the information below was accurate there are a few surprises we didn't expect.
The Golden Stag Beetle is now confirmed to be in the game but is also joined by some other incredibly high-value bugs we had previously not mentioned. As a result, this list has been checked for accuracy and updated to ensure all the highest value bugs are listed and accounted for. So get out your net and try and get your hands on these valuable specimens.
12 PAPER KITE BUTTERFLY, HERMIT CRAB, MAN-FACED STINK BUG, MIYAMA STAG - 1000 BELLS
This group of bugs is the easiest to catch but will still bring in a decent amount of money. If you sell them to Flick you can also enjoy a nice bonus as he pays more for any bugs you give him.
The hermit crab spawns on the beach all year round and looks like a shell. You can find it from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. The Miyama Stag spawns all day on trees in July and August, while the Man-faced Stink bug can be found on flowers from March to October between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. Finally, the Paper Kite Butterfly spawns from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. all year round and can be found flying around your island.
11 TIGER BEETLE - 1,500 Bells
If you're looking for some easy profits, the Tiger Beetle is a great insect to keep an eye out for. It's rather common and appears frequently. It'll sell for 1,500 Bells and you can find it any time of day on the ground from February to October (Northern Hemisphere) and August to April (Southern Hemisphere).
They scurry around pretty quickly, so you'll need to be fast to catch them!
10 GIANT WATER BUG & SAW STAG - 2,000 Bells
This spot goes to the Giant Water Bug and the Saw Stag, both of which sell for 2,000 Bells.
The Giant Water Bug will be found on top of ponds and rivers from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. from April to September (North) and October to March (South). You'll find the Saw Stag on trees at any time of day in July and August in the North and South.
9 JEWEL BEETLE & ORCHID MANTIS - 2,400 Bells
Another tie comes between the Orchid Mantis and the Jewel Beetle, both of which will net you a nice 2,400 Bells.
Leave some tree stumps open without digging them up if you're looking for a Jewel Beetle, as that's where it spawns. It appears all day in both hemispheres from April to August. The Orchid Mantis requires white flowers to have grown in your town. It'll appear on top of them from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March to November in the North and from September to May in the South.
8 MADAGASCAN SUNSET MOTHS, PEACOCK BUTTERFLIES, RAJAH BROOKE'S BIRDWINGS, WASPS - 2,500 Bells
Now, a tie between four bugs: Wasps, Madagascan Sunset Moths, Peacock Butterflies, and Rajah Brooke's Birdwings, each of which pulls in a respectable 2,500 Bells.
Wasps appear anytime, anywhere by shaking trees and having a nest fall out. Get your net ready, they'll sting you if you don't escape or catch them! Madagascan Sunset Moths will appear flying around between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. from April to September in the North and October to March in the South.
The beautiful Peacock Butterfly will only appear near hybrid flowers. It spawns from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. In the North, it'll appear between March and June. In the South, find it from September to December. Lastly, Rajah Brooke's Birdwing is found between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. in every month except March, October, and November in the North. In the South, it's found in every month but April, May, and September.
7 AGRIAS BUTTERFLY, ATLAS MOTH, ROSALIA BATESI BEETLE, DUNG BEETLE & GREAT PURPLE EMPEROR - 3,000 Bells
Five different bugs clock in at 3,000 Bells. In the North, you'll find Atlas Moths and Agrias Butterflies from April to September. The Moth appears on trees from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m., while the butterfly flies around between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. In the South, they'll be on your island from October to March.
The Great Purple Emperor appears from May to August in both hemispheres from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Rosalia Batesi Beetle sits on open tree stumps all day from May to September in the North and November to March in the South. Find the Dung Beetle rolling snowballs any time of day from December to February in the North and June to August in the South.
6 EMPEROR BUTTERFLY & QUEEN ALEXANDRIA'S BIRDWING - 4,000 Bells
Two different pretty butterflies will grab you a cool 4,000 Bells. First, the Emperor Butterfly is found flying around your island from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. In both hemispheres, it'll pop up from December to March and June to September.
The second butterfly selling for 4,000 Bells is the Queen Alexandria's Birdwing. This large and gorgeous bug is found between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. In the North, find it between May and September. In the South, you'll want to look from November to March.
5 BANDED DRAGONFLY - 4,500 Bells
You'll need to be pretty quick to nab this buzzy bug. The Banded Dragonfly, which sells for 4,500 Bells, zips around the island at a very high speed, making it pretty hard to catch. If you want to try and catch it, look for it between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Northern Hemisphere-dwellers want to look from May to October, while those in the Southern Hemisphere want to look from November to April.
4 RAINBOW STAG - 6,000 Bells
Nearing the true high-sellers is this spot, filled by the Rainbow Stag. This fun-looking beetle can be found on trees between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. In the North, it'll come by your island from June to September.
In the South, check your trees between December and March. high-rollers, the Rainbow Stag takes third place here, selling for a comfortable 6,000 Bells.
3 CYCLOMATTUS STAGS, GOLIATH BEETLES, HORNED ATLASES, HORNED ELEPHANTS, SCORPIONS & TARANTULA - 8,000 Bells
A whopping six different bugs all sell for 8,000 Bells: Tarantulas, Horned Atlases, Horned Elephants, Cyclomattus Stags, Goliath Beetles, and Scorpions. Tarantulas and Scorpions, both of which will attack you (so be careful!), scuttle around the ground from 7 p.m. to a.m. Tarantulas are found in the North from November to April. The Scorpions are found in the South in the same months. From May to October, they swap places.
Cyclomattus Stags and Horned Elephants and Horned Atlases are all found on trees from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. In both hemispheres, they're all found in July and August. For the Goliath Beetle, look on Coconut trees from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. In the North, you'll find them between June and September. In the South, look from December to March.
2 GIANT STAG & SCARAB BEETLE - 10,000 Bells
The Giant Stag and the Scarab Beetle are next, clocking in at an incredible 10,000 Bells each.
Both will appear in July and August in both hemispheres overnight. This means you'll have to hunt for them on trees between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. It's worth it for that heavy paycheck, though!
1 GOLDEN STAG, HORNED HERCULES, GIRAFFE STAG - 12,000 Bells
The Golden Stag has once again taken its top spot like it did in New Leaf. However, the price is slightly higher than expected at 12,000 bells. It also has some high-value friends in the form of the Giraffe Stag and Horned Hercules.
The Horned Hercules and Golden Stag can appear on coconut trees from 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. in July and August. The Giraffe Stag appears on regular trees during the same time and months.
Keep an eye out for these rare bugs and who knows, maybe you'll catch one yourself!