Animal Crossing: New Horizons players, get those nets ready — the Bug-Off has begun on islands across the globe! Following previous Animal Crossing games, New Horizons’ Bug-Off features a new host, a new format, and a treasure trove of new, insect-themed prizes! Check out our guide below for full details on how it all works.
When is the Bug-Off?
Bug-Offs in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are held every third Saturday in the summer months from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. your local island time.
For those in the Northern Hemisphere, this means the Bug-Off will be held every third Saturday in June, July, August, and September; for those in the Southern Hemisphere, it’ll be held every third Saturday in November, December, January, and February.
In-game, the message board outside of Resident Services will have a posting announcing the tournament dates a week prior. The day of, either Isabelle or Tom Nook will include the Bug-Off in the island’s daily announcements, as well as make an island wide announcement at 9 a.m.
Flick, the host of the Bug-Off
The host of the Bug-Off is the brooding artist Flick, who you may recognize from his semi-regular visits to your island during which he’ll buy up any and all bugs you give him. Like his partner, Fishing Tourney host C.J., he’ll be stationed outside Resident Services from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. While other information online seems to indicate that Flick will purchase bugs from you from 6 p.m. (the Bug-Off’s end) to 8 p.m., we found this wasn’t the case on our island, unfortunately.
When talking to Flick, he’ll explain the rules of the tournament and give you your first catching session for free. After that, all entries are 500 Bells.
How the Bug-Off works
The rules of the Bug-Off are pretty simple: You’ll have three minutes to catch as many bugs as you can. If you catch at least three bugs, you’ll earn a point bonus. Each caught bug is worth one point. Catching at least three bugs will earn you a bonus worth an extra two points.
These points will add up throughout the day. You can repeat the event as many times as you want, racking up points to exchange with Flick for some cool insect-themed relics (more on that later).
Co-op play
With any seasonal event, the more the merrier! Whether you have multiple people sharing an island or opening the gates at Dodo Airlines for visitors, all can partake in the Bug-Off. Flick has also thrown in a co-op bonus which waives the 500 Bells fee (that means playing the Bug-Off is completely free when doing it with other people!) and counts all bugs that are caught by all players during the three minute session.
For best results, have one player volunteer to talk to Flick once all participants have their catching spot secured. After the conversation is finished, the timer begins. Point bonuses are stacked, which means the solo “catch at least three bugs” bonus is stacked on top of the co-op bonus (for two players, it was to catch at least five bugs).
Any points that haven’t been used to redeem items will carry over with the player to their island if the Bug-Off is active on their island. Other players will also be able to sell on your island — and only the bugs they personally catch. That means the creepy-crawlies you nab are safe with you.
List of bug relics
You can trade 10 points to Flick for a random Bug-Off item. While the Bug-Off ends at 6 p.m., you can continue to redeem relics with Flick until 8 p.m. Here’s a full list of all the Bug-Off prizes you can receive:
| Item | Image | Sell Price |
|---|---|---|
| Artisanal Bug Cage |  | 450 Bells |
| Bug Aloha Shirt |  | 240 Bells |
| Bug Cage |  | 122 Bells |
| Bug Wand |  | 1500 Bells |
| Butterflies Wall |  | 840 Bells |
| Butterfly Backpack |  | 210 Bells |
| Ladybug Rug |  | 375 Bells |
| Ladybug Umbrella |  | 80 Bells |
| Spider Doorplate |  | 90 Bells |
| Spider Web |  | 25 Bells |
| Termite Mound |  | 550 Bells |
| Toy Centipede |  | 50 Bells |
| Toy Cockroach |  | 70 Bells |
Spider Doorplate color variations
The spider doorplate comes in a variety of colors that you can customize via a workbench. You’ll get a random color from Flick, but like all customizable furniture, it can be changed at any time.
| Color | Image |
|---|---|
| Black | |
| Yellow |  |
| Green |  |
| Pink |  |
| Purple |  |
| Red |  |
| Gray |  |
| Blue |  |
Selling bugs to Flick
All bugs you catch during your three-minute Bug Off sessions will be transported to Flick’s cage (dang — that’s some hi-tech!). After each timed catch-a-thon, you have the option to take the bugs out of the cage and/or sell them to Flick for 1.5 times their usual selling price. No need to take everything out of the cage to sell your fuzzy haul — just talk to Flick and he’ll ask if you want to clear the cage by selling everything to him.
Other players on your island can sell while on your island, as well. Their inventory is limited to what they’ve personally caught, meaning they can’t sell the bugs you or any other player have caught.
After participating in at least one session, Flick will also buy bugs that you’ve stored prior to today as well as any bugs caught outside the Bug-Off.
Bug-Off trophies
Flick is keeping track of points you’ve earned throughout the day. After 6 p.m., the top three catchers will be awarded trophies! If you’re looking to take home one, you’ll have to sink some Bells and time to earn enough points. When the clock strikes 6 p.m., that’s it! Flick will mail you any trophies earned. Yes, you can earn all three trophies If you sink some Bells and time to earn enough points.
| Trophy Name | Image | Points Required |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze Bug Trophy |  | 100 |
| Silver Bug Trophy |  | 200 |
| Gold Bug Trophy |  | 300 |
More Animal Crossing: New Horizons guides
Looking for more help with Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Check out our other guides!
Written by Daniel Dell-Cornejo
Daniel is an editor at Nintendo Wire. Always with his head in the clouds, he is never apart from his creative thoughts – a blessing for an aspiring fiction writer. As a journalist and lifelong gamer, he aims to provide readers with the very best in Nintendo coverage.
