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Insects,(BotW)[1][2] also known as Bugs,(OoT | MM | SS)[3] and Bug Parts,(BotW)[4] are a group of Enemies, Creature, and Item found in various games throughout the The Legend of Zelda series. With the exception of Shadow Insects, Bugs do not have plot-relevance; their role is usually limited to sidequests.

Location and Uses[]

Ocarina of Time[]

MM3D Bug Icon

Generic, blue beetle-like Bugs can be stored in Bottles in Ocarina of Time.[5] They can be found under small Rocks and inside Bushes or they can be purchased at the Medicine Shop for 50 Rupees. Each Bottle holds three individual Bugs which, when released, will scatter around for a few seconds, and then dig underground, never to be seen again. Their preferred breeding grounds are mounds of soft soil.[6] These seemingly insignificant Bugs benefit Link greatly while he searches for Gold Skulltulas. If Link finds a mound of soft soil to drop them on, they will burrow into the soil and in so doing may reveal a Gold Skulltula.[6][7] Since three Bugs appear every time they are released, this can be useful to increase or maintain Bug supply by releasing and re-catching Bugs in new Bottles. This trick can also be used for quick money in Ocarina of Time, as they can be sold to the Buyer for 50 Rupees per Bottle.[8]

Majora's Mask[]

Bugs take a similar role to their Ocarina of Time iteration in Majora's Mask. If Link releases a Bottle of Bugs near a mound of soft soil, different items such as Rupees, Arrows, and Bombs will come out. This happens everywhere that patches of soft soil are found, with the exception of the Swamp Spider House, where Gold Skulltulas are released instead, much like in Ocarina of Time.

Twilight Princess[]

Main article: Golden Bug
Dragonfly (F)

The Bugs of Twilight Princess, Golden Bugs, are found all over Hyrule. A child in Hyrule Castle Town, Agitha, fancies these Bugs and sent invitations to 24 Bugs around Hyrule for a ball. Unfortunately, it seems none have arrived, and she asks for Link's help in bringing all the Golden Bugs to Agitha's Castle.[9] She will reward Link generously upon finding and giving her the Bugs.[10] Collecting them all leads to two Wallet upgrades, each with a higher maximum Rupee capacity. The collection of Golden Bugs is an optional Sidequest and is not required for completion of the game.

There are 12 types of Golden Bugs, and a male (♂) and female (♀) of each type, for a total of 24 to bring back to Agitha for her Bug ball. Both male and female variations of a single Bug exist in the same region, relatively nearby, thus making the hunting for a pair easier.

Skyward Sword[]

Bugs are a collectible item found in both the The Sky and on the The Surface in Skyward Sword. At night, they can be sold to Strich, who is particularly fond of them,[11] or used to upgrade Potions at the Infusion Shop. Insects are abundant on Bug Rock in the Thunderhead. At Bug Rock, Stritch runs a mini-game called Bug Heaven during the day, which involves catching specific Bugs within a certain time limit.

Beedle owns a pet Bug called the Horned Colossus Beetle. At some point during the game, Beedle loses his Bug. Link must regain it from Stritch by completing Bug Heaven. For returning the beetle to its rightful owner, Link receives 5 Gratitude Crystals and a 50% discount on all items at the Beedle's Air Shop for the remainder of his journey.

Bugs may be caught by rolling into a wall or a tree with the Bug on it, to make it fall to the ground, though Bugs with a propensity for evasiveness are capable of avoiding capture through this method. Bugs can be stunned by using Glittering Spores, allowing Link to more easily catch these evasive Bug species. Bugs can also be caught from a greater distance by using a Bug Net, which can be purchased at Beedle's Air Shop for 50 Rupees. The upgraded version of the Bug Net, the Big Bug Net, makes it easier to catch insects.

When entering Hero Mode, the current amount of Bugs from the previous game are passed over and are available at the start.

List of Bugs
Bug Description Location(s)
SS Deku Hornet Icon
Deku Hornet
A forest insect that delivers a painful sting. If you spot a hive, watch out! Faron Woods, Deep Woods and Bug Rock
SS Blessed Butterfly Icon
Blessed Butterfly
A common bug found throughout the world. Highly prized as an ingredient in potions. Across the surface and the Sky
SS Gerudo Dragonfly Icon
Gerudo Dragonfly
A desert insect that will fly far to escape capture. Creep up on it to catch it. Lanayru Desert
SS Starry Firefly Icon
Starry Firefly
A glowing Skyloft insect that only comes out at night. Its beauty is said to calm the mind. Skyloft and other sky-islands at night or in caves
SS Woodland Rhino Beetle Icon
Woodland Rhino Beetle
A slow forest bug that is easy to catch. Roll into trees to knock it down. Skyloft and Faron Woods
SS Volcanic Ladybug Icon
Volcanic Ladybug
A volcano-dwelling insect often spotted in groups. It moves little and is easy to catch. Eldin Volcano
SS Sand Cicada Icon
Sand Cicada
A desert insect that is quick to fly away. Deemed the most difficult insect to catch. Lanayru Desert
SS Sky Stag Beetle Icon
Sky Stag Beetle
An insect native to Skyloft. It's very popular with children. Skyloft
SS Faron Grasshopper Icon
Faron Grasshopper
A valuable and hard-to-catch forest insect that will leap away when in danger. Faron Woods
SS Skyloft Mantis Icon
Skyloft Mantis
A Skyloft insect that's fairly easy to catch. Its powerful forelimbs give a painful pinch. Skyloft
SS Lanayru Ant Icon
Lanayru Ant
A desert insect that is often found in swarms. Has a face that's so ugly it's cute. Lanayru Desert
SS Eldin Roller Icon
Eldin Roller
A rare volcano-dwelling bug that rolls a ball of unidentified material everywhere it goes. Eldin Volcano

Breath of the Wild[]

Many Bugs can be found throughout Hyrule in Breath of the Wild. They can be Cooked into Elixirs.

List of Insects in Breath of the Wild
Bug Hyrule Compendium entry Common locations Cooking effects
BotW Winterwing Butterfly Icon
Winterwing Butterfly
The powdery scales of this butterfly's wings cool the air around it. Watching it flutter around snowflakes is a thing of beauty. Cook it with monster parts for a heat-resistant elixir. Hyrule Ridge, Tabantha Frontier Heat Resistance
BotW Summerwing Butterfly Icon
Summerwing Butterfly
A butterfly found in the woods and plains of warm regions. Its wings absorb the warmth of the sun. Cook it with monster parts to create an elixir that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Eldin Mountains, Great Hyrule Forest Cold Resistance
BotW Thunderwing Butterfly Icon
Thunderwing Butterfly
This rare butterfly only shows itself when it rains. The organs in its body produce an insulating compound. When made into an elixir, it offers electrical resistance. Hyrule Ridge, Gerudo Highlands Shock Resistance
BotW Smotherwing Butterfly Icon
Smotherwing Butterfly
This rare butterfly lives in volcanic regions. Its body contains a heat-resistant liquid, which can be turned into a topical elixir that offers resistance to flames. Death Mountain, Eldin Canyon Flame Guard
BotW Cold Darner Icon
Cold Darner
This dragonfly prefers the cool shade of trees to the warmth of the sun. Its wings disperse heat from its body, which can be cooked into a heat-resistance elixir. Hyrule Ridge, Tabantha Frontier Cold Resistance
BotW Warm Darner Icon
Warm Darner
This dragonfly has a special organ that causes it to sweat profusely. Cook it with monster parts for an elixir that will raise your core temperature so you can resist the cold. Akkala Highlands, Hyrule Field Heat Resistance
BotW Electric Darner Icon
Electric Darner
This rare dragonfly only appears in the rain. Its wings direct electricity away from its body. Cook it with monster parts for an electricity- resistance elixir. Gerudo Desert, Hyrule Ridge Shock Resistance
BotW Restless Cricket Icon
Restless Cricket
A very energetic cricket. Cook it with monster parts to create a stamina-recovery elixir. East Necluda, Hyrule Field, cutting grass Stamina Recovery
BotW Bladed Rhino Beetle Icon
Bladed Rhino Beetle
This beetle's razor-sharp horns demand that you handle it with care. Boil the horns alongside monster parts to concoct an elixir that will raise your attack power. East Necluda, West Necluda Attack Up
BotW Rugged Rhino Beetle Icon
Rugged Rhino Beetle
This beetle's hard body resembles armor. When the shell is cooked with monster parts, the resulting elixir boosts your defense. Faron Grasslands, Hyrule Field Defense Up
BotW Energetic Rhino Beetle Icon
Energetic Rhino Beetle
This valuable beetle can live up to ten years. When cooked with monster parts, its impressive vitality translates into an elixir that will greatly restore your stamina. East Necluda, West Necluda Stamina Recovery
BotW Sunset Firefly Icon
Sunset Firefly
These fireflies glow gently in the dark. When cooked with monster parts, the compound that causes it to glow results in an elixir that will allow you to move more quietly. Great Hyrule Forest, West Necluda Stealth Up

Varieties[]

Main article: Animal

Butterfly[]

TLoZ Zol Splitting Into Gels Artwork
It has been suggested that the portion of this page concerning Butterfly should be made into its own page. Should the target page already exist, this content should be merged into it where appropriate. Discuss this on article's talk page.

LADX Butterfly Sprite

Butterflies first appear in Link's Awakening, and similarly in Oracle of Seasons, however Link cannot interact with them. In Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, if one butterfly touches a Deku Stick, it will turn into either a Fairy or a Bomb. In The Minish Cap, Joy Butterflies appear as a result of certain Kinstone Fusions.

In Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword, butterflies are collectible items with different uses. In Twilight Princess, there are the ♂ and ♀ varieties of the Golden Butterflies, and in Skyward Sword, there are the Blessed Butterflies.

In Hyrule Warriors, Goddess Butterflies appear. One Goddess Butterfly appears in "The Land of Twilight" Scenario under Agitha's ownership, and is used to find the era's Gate of Souls. Goddess Butterflies also appear as an obstacle in certain Adventure Mode Maps, and can be removed by using the Goddess's Harp Item Card on them. Agitha also attacks with giant Golden Butterflies in her Parasol moveset, as well as with giant Golden Beetles.

Trivia[]

  • Bugs of Skyward Sword, namely the Deku Hornets and Gerudo Dragonflies, pay homage to two races that do not appear in the game.
  • The Deku Hornet is a unique breed of Bug for a number of reasons:
    • Rather than fleeing at the sight of Link, they will actively come to him, in swarms, making them the easiest Bug to catch in batches.
    • They are also the only Bug that can hurt Link (even though both the Skyloft Mantis and Sky Stag Beetle are mentioned to have powerful appendages that one should be aware of), and will attack him if he comes near their nest.
    • Deku Hornets are the only Bug that cannot be Z-Targeted. Therefore, it is unknown what Fi has to say about them.

Nomenclature[]

See respective pages for translations, see here for the translations of each Bug in Skyward Sword.

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in other regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
LanguageNameMeaning
JapanJapaneseムシ (Mushi) (OoT)[12]Same as English.
This table was generated using translation pages.
To request an addition, please contact a staff member with a reference.

Gallery[]

See Also[]

References

  1. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 66 (Series)
  2. "My little sister, Gleema, is a huge fan of insects. I know, I don't get it either." — Jana (Breath of the Wild)
  3. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 119 (OoT | MM | SS)
  4. "You can cook up an elixir by mixing a bug part and a monster part together. Elixirs can be made in pots, just like food, and with valuable ingredients, the elixir's effect will get stronger! You can also add acorns or Chickaloo tree nuts to impact your elixir with healing properties. However... I Aurie Taamu, am deathly afraid of insects and would never even think of touching them. Fortunately, there are regular meals that you can cook which will produce the same effects as elixirs." — Chef Aurie Taamu, Vol. 1 (Breath of the Wild)
  5. "You put a Bug in the bottle! You can release it by pressing C Button. This kind of insect prefers to live in small holes in the ground." — N/A (Ocarina of Time)
  6. 6.0 6.1 "They say that the small holes in the ground that you can find all over Hyrule make perfect breeding ground for bugs." — Gossip Stone (Ocarina of Time)
  7. "There are some tricks to finding them all! First of all, you'll have to hunt at night. Secondly, keep in mind that they love soft soil..." — Cursed Rich Man (Ocarina of Time)
  8. "Oh, it's a cute little Bug! I'll buy it for 50 Rupees! All sales final, OK?" — Buyer (Ocarina of Time)
  9. "I've invited the 24 golden bugs of the world to the ball, but... I don't know if they got lost on the way or what...but they're not here, that's for sure. [...] Oh, boy, if you have a bug with you now, please give it to me. The ball must begin!" — Agitha (Twilight Princess)
  10. "...You actually went bug hunting for me, didn't you? To be honest, I doubted you would... I guess some might consider me a poor-mannered princess...From now on, if you bring me insects, I'll share my happiness with you. You can keep it in this!" — Agitha (Twilight Princess)
  11. "Link, here's the plan. If you find a bug, come sell it to me. When it comes to bugs, Rupees are no object." — Strich (Skyward Sword)
  12. Nintendo Official Guidebook—The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Shogakukan) pg. 153
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