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Critter Catching

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You'll find all sorts of buzzing and hopping creatures while exploring the area outside the village. The insects and frogs that you can catch (collectively called "critters" in the game) can be placed into your shipping bin for profit or given to villagers as a gift. There is an abundance of these little guys in the game, so if you're looking for some quick cash then head out to the Forest, River, and Mountain to catch the critters.

To catch a critter all you have to do is run up to it and press the A button. You don't have to jump and catch them or slowly walk up to an insect so it doesn't fly away, as you needed to do in Tale of Two Towns. The bugs are not as flighty in this version of Harvest Moon, so there's no need to be careful or stealthy. Just press the A button.

There are nine types of of critters you can catch. Each member of the species will be colored based on its rank (i.e., how rare it is). When you catch a critter a cage will appear in your rucksack; the color of the cage will indicate how uncommon the critter is. Green cage critters are pretty common, copper cages are uncommon, silver cages are rare, and gold caged critters are very rare. The more rare the critter is, the more money you'll earn when you ship it. Critters don't have Star Rank.

The bookshelf inside your farm house will keep a tally of the critters you've caught. To view your list, go to your bookshelf and select the Picture Book, then Crops (even though critters aren't crops), and then press the right-shoulder button on your Nintendo 3DS until you reach the list of gathered critters. There are 96 critters you can catch, but you won't receive anything for completing the list.

The only critters you may want to keep are the Honey Bees. The bees you use for seeding your Beehives will expire at the beginning of Winter, so you will need to repopulate your Beehives when the season becomes Spring. You can store spare honey bees in your farm house Storage Box and they will survive there forever until you use them. The rest of the critters you catch can be shipped; they aren't used for anything other than profit or gifts.

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The Forest, River, and Mountain areas aren't the only place you'll find critters. If you take a trip from Charles' Travel Agency, you can visit remote location and catch new types of critters. The trickiest of these foreign critters are the Southern Firefly and the Winter Firefly. These two insects can only be found in the Land of the East if you are there after 9:00 pm; but, there's a two hour travel time to the eastern land, and Charles closes his shop at 6:00 pm. If you took the flight at 5:59 pm, you would still only arrive at 7:59 pm and not after 9:00 pm....

So... how are you suppose to catch these bugs?!

Unfortunately, you will have to abuse the game's save/load system to make the fireflies appear. Critters will appear at the top of the hour when they're scheduled to appear. In this case, 9:00 pm. You will need to wait in the Land of the East until after 9:00 pm, save your game, and then exit the game to the Title Screen. When you reload your saved game, you will have "arrived" at the Land of the East after 9:00 pm, and you can now catch the two fireflies.

Critter List

The bugs will be listed as they appear in the Critter list in your farm house bookshelf.

Cicadas

Critter NameCage
Color
WeatherLocationProfit
Brown CicadaGreenAnySummer: River (6am-6pm), Forest, and Honey Tree
Fall: Forest and Honey Tree
20 G
Kaempfer CicadaGreenAnySpring, : Mountain (6am-6pm)
Summer: Mountain (6am-6pm), Forest, and Honey Tree
20 G
Spring CicadaGreenAnySpring: Forest and Honey Tree
Summer: Forest and Honey Tree
40 G
Grass CicadaCopperAnySpring: Forest and Honey Tree
Summer: Forest and Honey Tree
30 G
Opal CicadaCopperAnySpring: Mountain (6am-6pm)
Summer: River (6am-6pm), Mountain (6am-6pm), and Forest (6am-6pm)
Fall: River (6am-6pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)
100 G
Screeching CicadaCopperAnySummer: Forest and Honey Tree100 G
Chattering CicadaSilverAnySummer: Forest and Honey Tree
Fall: Forest and Honey Tree
250 G
Emperor CicadaGoldSunnyAll Year: Ancient Ruins500 G
Singing CicadaGoldSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (12pm-9pm)350 G
Evening CicadaSilverAnySummer: Forest and Honey Tree
Fall: Forest and Honey Tree
150 G
Bear CicadaSilverSunnySummer: Honey Tree400 G

Beetles

Critter NameCage
Color
WeatherLocationProfit
Rhinoceros BeetleGreenAnySummer: River (6pm-5am), Forest, or Honey Tree40 G
Caucasus BeetleGoldSunnyAll Year: Ancient Ruins (3pm-8pm)320 G
Anubis BeetleSilverSunnySummer: Honey Tree250 G
Elephant BeetleGoldSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (12pm-9pm) and Ancient Ruins300 G
Hercules BeetleGoldSunnyAll Year: Ancient Ruins440 G
White Morn BeetleCopperAnySummer: Forest and Honey Tree50 G
White Hill BeetleCopperAnySpring: Mountain (6pm-5am)
Summer: Mountain (6pm-5am)
180 G
White Giant BeetleSilverSunnySummer: Honey Tree600 G
Pincer BeetleGreenAnySummer: River (6pm-5am), Forest, and Honey Tree40 G
Big Pincer BeetleGreenAnySummer: Forest or Honey Tree60 G
Stag BeetleCopperSunnySummer: Honey Tree50 G
Rainbow BeetleGoldSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (12pm-9pm) and Ancient Ruins400 G
Giraffe Stag BeetleGoldSunnyAll Year: Ancient Ruins1000 G

Dragonflies, Darters, Damselflies, and Skimmers

Critter NameCage
Color
WeatherLocationProfit
Red DragonflyGreenNot StormyFall: River (6am-6pm) and Forest (6am-6pm)
Winter: River (7am-5pm) and Forest (7am-5pm)
20 G
Common DarterGreenAnyFall: Mountain (6am-6pm)30 G
Scarlet SkimmerGreenAnyFall: River (6am-5pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)50 G
Common SkimmerCopperNot StormySummer: River (6am-6pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)
Fall: River (6am-6pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)
40 G
Azure DragonflyCopperNot StormySummer: River (6am-6pm)
Fall: River (6am-5pm) and Forest (6am-6pm)
60 G
Cobalt DragonflySilverSunnyFall: Mountain (6am-6pm)100 G
Yellow DamselflyCopperAnyFall: River (6am-6pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)60 G
Golden DragonflySilverSunnyFall: River (6am-6pm)100 G
Pacific DragonflyCopperNot StormySummer: Mountain (6am-6pm)
Fall: River (6am-6pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)
Winter: River (6am-5pm) and Mountain (6am-5pm)
200 G
Aegis DragonflySilverNot StormySpring: Ancient Ruins
Summer: River (6am-6pm), Mountain (6am-6pm), and Ancient Ruins
Fall: River (6am-5pm), Mountain (6am-6pm), Forest (6am-6pm), and Ancient Ruins
Winter: Ancient Ruins
400 G
Emperor Dragonfly
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (12pm-6pm)
Fall: Mountain (6am-6pm)
1000 G
Giant Petaltail
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Southern Island2000 G

Fireflies

Critter NameCage
Color
WeatherLocationProfit
Genji FireflyGreenSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (6pm-10pm)
Summer: River (7pm-4am)
20 G
Pacific FireflyGreenSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (6pm-10pm
Summer: Mountain (7pm-4am)
30 G
Black FireflyGreenSunnySummer: Forest (7pm-4am)20 G
Candle FireflyGreenSunnySummer: Mountain (7pm-4am30 G
Luciola FireflySilverSunnySummer: River (7pm-4am) and Mountain (7pm-4am)100 G
Cabbage FireflyGreenSunnySummer: River (7pm-4am) and Forest (7pm-4am)30 G
Yellow FireflyCopperSunnySummer: River (7pm-4am)40 G
Mustache Firefly
Year 2 or later
SilverSunnySummer: Mountain (7pm-4am)300 G
Winter Firefly
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (9pm-10pm)400 G
Southern Firefly
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (9pm-10pm)350 G
Purple Firefly
Year 2 or later
SilverSunnySummer: River (7pm-4am) and Mountain (7pm-4am)330 G
Spotted FireflyCopperSunnySummer: River (7pm-4am) and Mountain (7pm-4am)40 G
Summer FireflyCopperSunnySummer: River (7pm-4am) and Mountain (7pm-4am)80 G

Frogs

There are no Copper caged frogs.

Critter NameCage
Color
WeatherLocationProfit
Tree FrogGreenRainySpring: River (6am-8pm)
Summer: River (6am-8pm)
Fall: River (6am-6pm)
20 G
Common FrogSilverRainySpring: River (10am-8pm) and Mountain (4pm-12am)
Summer: River (6am-8pm) and Mountain (6am-8pm)
Fall: River (6am-6pm)
50 G
Montane Brown FrogSilverRainySummer: Mountain
Fall: Mountain (6am-6pm)
30 G
Red-Eyed Tree FrogSilverRainySummer: Mountain (6am-3am) and Forest (6am-4am)
Fall: Mountain (6am-4am) and Forest (6am-3am)
30 G
White's Tree FrogGreenRainySummer: River (6am-8pm)
Fall: River (6am-6pm)
20 G
Spotted Pond Frog
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (12pm-7pm)100 G
Goliath Frog
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Ancient Ruins (6pm-8pm)550 G

Butterflies

Critter NameCage
Color
WeatherLocationProfit
Pale Cloud YellowGreenNot StormySpring: River (6am-6pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)
Summer: River (6am-6pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)
Fall: River (6am-5pm) and Mountain (6am-5pm)
30 G
Oki ButterflyCopperNot StormySpring: River (6am-6pm) and Forest (6am-6pm)
Summer: River (6am-6pm) and Forest (6am-6pm)
Fall: River (6am-5pm) and Forest (6am-5pm)
50 G
BushbrownCopperNot StormySpring: River (6am-6pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)
Summer: Mountain (6am-6pm)
Fall: Mountain (6am-6pm)
50 G
Comma ButterflyCopperNot StormySpring: River (6am-6pm)
Summer: River (6am-6pm) and Forest Forest (6am-6pm)
Fall: Forest (6am-6pm)
40 G
Purple Brush-Foot
Year 2 or later
SilverSunnySpring: Mountain (6am-6pm)
Summer: Mountain (6am-6pm)
Fall: Mountain (Yr 1 OK, 10am-6pm)
60 G
Velvet Brush-FootSilverSunnyFall: Mountain (6am-6pm)100 G
Small WhiteGreenNot StormySpring: Forest (6am-6pm)
Summer: Forest (6am-6pm)
Fall: Forest (6am-5pm)
20 G
Nymph ButterflyGreenNot StormySpring: River (6am-6pm)
Summer: River (6am-6pm)
Fall: River (6am-5pm)
30 G
Long-Tailed BlueGreenSunnySummer: Mountain (6am-6pm) and Forest (6am-6pm)
Fall: Mountain (6am-6pm) and Forest (6am-5pm)
50 G
Great Orange TipCopperNot StormySummer: River (6am-6pm), Mountain (6am-6pm), and Forest (6am-6pm)60 G
White MorphoCopperSunnySpring: River (10am-6pm) and Forest (10am-6pm)
Summer: Mountain (10am-6pm)
100 G
Purple EmperorSilverSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (12pm-6pm)
Spring: River (Yr 2 or later, 6am-6pm)
Summer: River (6am-6pm)
40 G
SwallowtailSilverNot StormySpring: River (6am-6pm) and Forest (6am-6pm)
Summer: River (6am-6pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)
Fall: River (6am-5pm) and Mountain (6am-6pm)
30 G
Miyama Swallowtail
Year 2 or later
SilverNot StormyAll Year: Southern Island
Spring: Forest (6am-6pm)
Summer: Forest (6am-6pm)
Fall: Forest (6am-5pm)
50 G
Helena MorphoGoldSunnyAll Year: Ancient Ruins400 G
BirdwingGoldSunnyAll Year: Southern Island380 G
Southern Butterfly
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Ancient Ruins500 G

Locust, Crickets, and Grasshoppers

Critter NameCage
Color
WeatherLocationProfit
Longhead LocustGreenNot StormySpring: Forest (6am-6pm)
Summer: River (6am-6pm)
Fall: Mountain (6am-6pm)
20 G
Piggyback LocustCopperNot StormyAll Year: Forest (6am-6pm)20 G
Migratory Locust
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (12pm-6pm)200 G
Spotted LocustCopperNot StormyAll Year: River (6am-6pm SP/SU, 6am-5pm FA/WI)30 G
Kutsuwa KatydidGreenNot StormySpring: River (6pm-3am)
Summer: Mountain (6pm-3am)
Winter: Forest (6pm-4pm)
40 G
Emma Field CricketGoldSunnyAll Year: Ancient Ruins (6pm-8pm)200 G
Cornered CricketSilverSunnySummer: Forest (6pm-3am)
Fall: Forest (6pm-3am)
Winter: Forest (6pm-4am)
60 G
Mole Cricket
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Land of the East (12pm-6pm) and Ancient Ruins (3pm-7pm)
LotE OK in Fall Year 1
Spring: River (6am-12pm) and Mountain (6am-12pm)
Summer: River (6am-12pm) and Mountain (6am-12pm)
160 G
Bell CricketGreenNot StormySummer: River (7pm-4am), Mountain (6pm-4am), and Forest (6pm-4am)40 G
Kobane GrasshopperGreenNot StormySpring: Mountain (6am-6pm)
Fall: Forest (6am-6pm)
Winter: River (6am-5pm)
20 G
Dirt GrasshopperCopperNot StormySpring: River and Forest
Summer: River and Forest
Fall: Mountain
Winter: Mountain
30 G
Brown CricketSilverSunnySpring: Mountain (6pm-4am, Yr2 or later)
Fall: Mountain (6pm-4am)
Winter: Mountain (6pm-4am)
100 G
Bush Cricket
Year 2 or later
CopperNot StormySummer: Mountain (6am-6pm)
Fall: Forest (6am-6pm)
Winter: Forest (6am-5pm)
150 G

Honey Bees

Critter NameCage
Color
WeatherLocationProfit
Honey BeeGreenSunnySpring: River (6am-6pm), Mountain (6am-12pm), and Forest (6am-6pm)
Summer: River (6am-6pm) and Forest (6am-6pm)
Fall: River and Forest
20 G
Western Honey BeeCopperSunnySummer: Mountain (6am-6pm) and Forest (6am-6pm)
Fall: Mountain (6am-6pm) and Forest (6am-6pm)
50 G
Eastern Honey Bee
Year 2 or later
SilverSunnySummer: Forest (6am-6pm)
Fall: Mountain (6am-6pm)
120 G
Mountain Honey Bee
Year 2 or later
GoldSunnyAll Year: Ancient Ruins (3pm-7pm)230 G

Ladybugs

Critter NameCage
Color
WeatherLocationProfit
Spotted LadybugGreenSunny or RainySpring: Mountain (6am-6pm), Forest, and Honey Tree
Fall: Forest and Honey Tree
20 G
Harlequin LadybugGreenSunny or RainySpring: Mountain (6am-6pm)
Fall: River (6am-6pm), Forest, and Honey Tree
30 G
White LadybugCopperSunny or RainySpring: Forest and Honey Tree
Fall: Forest and Honey Tree
60 G
Yellow LadybugCopperSunny or RainySpring: Forest and Honey Tree
Fall: Forest and Honey Tree
50 G
Orange LadybugSilverSunnySpring: Honey Tree
Fall: Honey Tree
100 G
Large LadybugGoldSunnyAll Year: Southern Island180 G
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