Skyward Sword tips and tricks

Bugs

Index of Tips and Tricks  •  Complete Walkthrough


looking for and catching bugsInsects can be collected from the beginning of the game, but to do so, you have to buy the Bug Net at Beedle's Shop. These little creatures will be used to upgrade your potions.

To catch one, select the bug net, get slowly closer and use the controller as if it was a net! Or, when some insects fall on their back after running into a tree, just get close to them and pick them up.
Ask Fi while locking on one of them to get more information.

Their locations are more or less random, you will not always find them in the same place, but each kind remains in one or several defined areas. Wearing the Bug Medal increases your chances to find some.

A big thank you to Do A Barell Roll who has writen all of the "A bit of grinding" sentences.

Here are the bugs' locations:

Sky Stag BeetleSky Stag Beetle

Skyloft

  • Where the little boy asked you to roll against a tree
  • On the water mill's wall
  • Near Berti's house (the potion shop owner), do a roll against the tree
  • Outside the Knight Academy, sometimes, on the left wall (where there are four small jars)
  • When you enter the Statue of the Goddess area, after climbing the stairs, go behind the wall on the right and roll into trees
  • In the east part of the island, after crossing the bridge, walk to the tree ahead and roll into it

Full inventory: Go to Skyloft, do a roll against the mill in the centre of the island and walk on the sky stag beetle(s) to pick it/them up. Then, get in the nearest house (Piper's) and do it again!

Skyloft MantisSkyloft Mantis

Skyloft

  • In front of the Knight Academy, near four pots (sometimes)
  • In the middle of the pumpkin field, in the northeast part of the island
  • Near the small pumpkin field, in the centre of the island
  • Walk around the outside of the Bazaar, you will see two pots, lift them to find one or two Skyloft Mantis
  • When you enter the Statue of the Goddess area, after climbing the stairs, go behind the wall on the right
  • At the Knight Academy, to the left of the first floor's door, move the pots

Full inventory: This bug appears only in Skyloft, you can only find one per location and the places where you can find them are far from each other. The Bug Medal is thus very useful. Mark its usual locations on your map (left of the Knight Academy in pots, close to a wall left of the Bazaar in a pot, next to the stream in the middle of the grass, in the centre of the pumpkin field on the right on the map), and if the medal shows a bug there, go collect it, it will be a mantis for sure!

Blessed ButterflyBlessed Butterfly

Blessed butterflys can be caught wherever there are Gossip Stones and Goddess Walls.

Skyloft

  • South of Skyloft near the Light Tower, go towards north and catch butterflies with the bug net
  • Next to the Bazaar, if you go towards the Knight Academy, before the stairs you can see 3 Blessed Butterflies on the right

Sealed Grounds

  • Next to the entrance to the Sealed Temple, you can often find 2 or 3 Butterflies
  • When getting out of the Sealed Temple, where there is a bird statue

Skyview Temple

  • At the beginning, as you go down the stairs, there are 2 or 3 butterflies

Faron Woods

  • Where you meet Bucha for the first time, enter the small passage on the right

Eldin Volcano

  • In front of the Earth Temple, on the balcony hanging over the volcano's slope
  • In the large sand slope to the east, on the first pillar on the left

Lanayru Desert

  • On the first "wall circle" that surrounds the Mining Facility, in the northwest (there should be a Moblin on this wall)

Floria Waterfall

  • Near the bird statue

Full inventory: These bugs are very common, collecting them is a child's play. I recommend keeping this quest for when you'll be searching for Grasshoppers or Rhino Beetles behind the Sealed Temple.

Starry FireflyStarry Firefly

These rare insects can only be found at night, often above the stream. They shine and therefore are easy to spot.

Skyloft

  • At night, in the waterfall Cave
  • At night, above the stream that crosses the island (big bug net recommended)

Pumpkin Landing

  • At night, in the pumpkin field (take a nap in the bar until night-time)

Beedle's Island

  • At night, above the flowers, behind his hot air balloon

Full inventory: Go to the Pumpkin Landing, sleep until night, then get out through the pumpkin field exit. Everytime you go through that door, between 0 to 4 Starry Fireflies will be waiting for you in the field!

Deku HornetDeku Hornet

Deep Woods

  • When entering the Deep Woods, on the left you'll find a tree, get close to attract the hornets, catch them quickly with the net, then roll into the tree to make their nest fall letting you catch some more.
  • [Hook Beetle required] Before walking on the rope, you can see a nest hanging from a tree, above the gap. Catch it with the Beetle and drop it next to you
  • [Hook Beetle required] After the rope, on the path, go up on the left and look at the tree with a hornet nest. Use the Beetle as explained above

Bug Rock

  • On top of the island, in the tree

Full inventory: Land on the Viewing Platform (in Faron Woods), go into the Deep Woods, and walk on a little to find a nest. Get close equipped with the bug net, then, when the hornets attack you, wave your net in all directions. You will get 10 hornets. Make the nest fall with a roll against the tree, then quickly use the net to catch the remaining hornets. Leave the area then come back and start again.

Woodland Rhino BeetleWoodland Rhino Beetle

Sealed Grounds

  • Before entering the Sealed Temple, on a wall to the left, hit it to make them fall
  • When leaving the Sealed Temple, in the woods' direction (where there is a bird statue), go in a recess on the right to find some Rhino Beetles on the wall
  • When leaving the Sealed Temple, in the woods' direction, on the bird statue's right are two or three Rhino Beetles on a wall

Deep Woods

  • When entering the Deep Woods, there is a tree ahead, get closer and roll against it to make Rhino Beetles fall

Faron woods

  • On the trunk of the Great Tree, near where a Piece of Heart was located (small platform accessible through a rope)
  • On the tree west of the Great Tree (the one surrounded by Waking Water in the Faron Woods' Silent Realm)
  • On the tree facing the passage leading towards Lake Floria

Full inventory: Go behind the Sealed Temple where between 0 to 2 Rhino Beetles walk on the wall facing the bird statue, below Gorko. Roll into the wall to make them fall, then simply walk on them to pick them up. After that, go in the small recess on the left while heading towards the temple's entrance, where sacred butterflies are flying: you will find up to two additional Rhino Beetles on the wall ahead.

Eldin RollerEldin Roller

Eldin Volcano

  • When arriving in the first Bokoblin outpost, place a bomb flower in front of the boulder to make an Eldin Roller appear
  • When arriving in the first Bokoblin outpost, dig the ground under the tent to the left of the flower bombs
  • From the statue "Volcano Entry" (south of this area), go down the road, then jump on the left and crawl through the small passage.
  • In front of the Earth Temple, on the right, where there are some tents with bokoblins
  • After the bridge, just before the very hot corridor, dig the second hole in the ground.

Volcano Summit

  • In the caves leading to the Fire Sanctuary, where there is a Gossip Stone (and a frog head), dig the ground on the left when entering this "room". Then you just have to get in the temple and get out to find more.

Full inventory: Eldin Rollers are often crawling freely in front of the Earth Temple's entrance. Therefore, unlike those you dig up, they won't try to escape. So get in and out of the temple to find more of them!

Volcanic LadybugVolcanic Ladybug

Eldin Volcano

  • At the very beginning, in the "house", where the Mogma teaches you how to use bomb flowers
  • When arriving for the first time at the foot of the volcano, take the passage left and capture some volcanic ladybugs with the Bug Net (don't hit the wall or they will fly away)
  • In the central part of this area, in the small cave where the big steam geyser that bring you back to the Volcano Summit is
  • After the first Bokoblin Base, climb the vines further away and notice the volcanic ladybugs on the left wall

Volcano Summit

  • Outside, near the waterfall, look on the left when arriving there and catch the volcanic ladybugs with the Bug Net. You just have to go back inside and come back to get more volcanic ladybugs.

Full inventory: Go to the Volcano Summit, near the waterfall. Up to 4 volcanic ladybugs stand on the wall next to the "door". Simply go out and back in to see more volcanic ladybugs. It's therefore very easy to get a large amount of them in a few minutes!

Gerudo DragonflyGerudo Dragonfly

Lanayru Mine

  • In the caves, between two Deku Baba hanging from the ceiling, near the mine's exit

Lanayru Desert

  • In the desert's far east, north of the Warehouse
  • In the desert's southwest, at the big sand cascade, down, lower on a piece of land when going down the small cliff
  • In the desert's northwest (when leaving the Desert Gorge) after running over quite a lot of sand
  • On the last mural cercle that surrounds the Mining Facility, above the dry grass

Desert Gorge

  • Near the first Timeshift Stone found in this area and near the first cart

Skipper's Retreat

  • On a very high "pillar" that you can access thanks to a Peahat

Shipyard

  • On the way between the first and second cart tracks, before entering the tunnel full of Arachas

Lanayru Gorge

  • In the northeast part of this area, near the dried up tree

Full inventory: In the Lanayru region, in the Desert Gorge, from the bird statue of the same name, head towards the cart, then right towards the rocky peak. You will find from 0 to 4 dragonflies. Get close slowly and prepare your Bug Net when they're at the right distance. The missed dragonflies will fly away. If they moved out of reach, wait and don't move, they will come back after some time. When they'll be finally caught, head to the nearest exit (the one leading to the beginning of the desert), then come back to make new dragonflies appear.

Lanayru AntLanayru Ant

Lanayru Mine

  • In the mines, where you have to make four "bowl statues" fall, under a pot

Lanayru Desert

  • South of the desert (where there's a track, the Bird Statue and the Timeshift Stone) hit the Timeshift Stone, climb the vines then look near the chest (this chest is visible on your right if you walk down a bit the slope starting from the Bird Statue)
  • When taking the road going along the cliff, to the left of the Bird statue that is near the sand cascade, at the end of this path
  • [Clawshots required] At the end of the wall west of the Warehouse, there are some ants hidden underground (towards southeast)
  • In the desert's southwest, in the quicksand area, rush to the flat stone platform against a wall

Lanayru Caves

  • Next to the chest (near the Goron), under the barrels
  • When going towards Lanayru Gorge, in the big piles of sand

Lanayru Sand Sea

  • Before the pier, go behind the row of crates on the right, then dig the ground in two places

Temple of Time (ruins)

  • At the back of the place, under some piles of sand

Skipper's Retreat

  • In the part where a Moblin with an Iron Shield stands, dig the ground just before meeting this enemy

Pirate Stronghold

  • When leaving the Pirate Stronghold, throw the barrels on the west side to find a swarm of ants!

Lanayru Gorge

  • On the path leading to the dried up tree, a few ants are hiding in the piles of sand

Full inventory: In the Lanayru Desert, walk along the warehouse, find a recess behind a pillar and go ahead all the way. Dig in the two holes, each one contains ants, up to 6 in total. Get in the warehouse, get out and repeat!

Sand CicadaSand Cicada

The Sand Cicadas can be spotted from far away thanks to the sound they make. Listen carefully and walk slowly to capture them.

Lanayru Mine

  • When arriving on the tower at the entrance of the mine, behind this tower near the ground
  • [Clawshots required] Other cicadas are crawling on the wall to the right of the tower

Lanayru Desert

  • When walking along the wall of the Warehouse, you can sometimes find a Sand Cicada (if there's no sound, then there's no cicada this time)
  • To the far south of the desert, left of the very long wall, there is a tree south, on which one or two Sand Cicadas are staying

Lanayru Sand Sea

  • When reaching the harbour (after the pillars with Clawshots' targets), on the arrival platform

Skipper's Retreat

  • On Skipper's Retreat's roof you will find some Sand Cicadas. Get in the house and go back to the rooftop to find some more!

Pirate Stronghold

  • Outside, after climbing the stairs, on a pillar to the left

Lanayru Gorge

  • In the corridor and in the room with the cart, after unlocking the door

Full inventory: Go on the roof of Skipper's Retreat, catch the cicadas, go down, get inside and go out once more to make other cicadas appear on the roof. Be careful not to make any sudden move or they would fly away.

Faron GrasshopperFaron Grasshopper

Faron Woods

  • At the start of the woods, just after you jumped with the rope
  • To the north of the woods, at the foot of the Viewing Platform, on the west side

Deep Woods

  • At the entrance of the Deep Woods, in the grass, sometimes
  • At the entrance of the Deep Woods, take the path on the right and look down, near the bomb flower
  • On the sides of the Skyview Temple, in the grass, sometimes

Sealed Temple

  • In the small round room, on the left when getting in, throw the pots where one or two grasshoppers could be hiding

Sealed Grounds

  • Behind the temple, there are small round stones near the Bird Statue. Strike them with your sword to find between one to four grasshoppers

Floria Waterfall

  • Near the Bird Statue

Full inventory: Go behind the Sealed Temple, in the large area beneath Gorko. Lift the stones to find up to four grasshoppers. When a grasshopper makes its first jump, get close slowly and catch it. Next, go in the temple, capture the grasshopper that's almost always in the pots on the right, behind the Bird Statue, then go out and start again.

Thank you to Sanitarium026, Nathalie, Aymeric, Gloria, Ishiguro1998, Baaboo, CrashMan, Antoine, Marine, MeetKirsch, Lucien, Do A Barrel Roll, Djo, Firefly et Amela122 for their contribution!