A Handy Guide to All the New 'Animal Crossing' Fish and Bugs to Catch This May

We’ve finally made it to the month of May in the real world, which means that it’s also May in Animal Crossing (for those of us who aren’t time traveling, anyway). You may have already used your May Day ticket by now, but there’s still so much to do for the rest of the month. Especially if you need to make some cash to pay down your home loan (or you’re saving up to move every building on your island now that you’ve unlocked terraforming). 

Catching bugs and fish is definitely one of the best ways to make money in the game, not to mention it’s the only way to fill up your museum. Now that we’ve started a new month, there are new critters to keep an eye out for! Grab your fishing pole or bug net — here’s a handy guide to the May bugs and fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Northern Hemisphere — New Bugs

If you’re playing Animal Crossing in the northern hemisphere, there are eight new critters to keep an eye out for:

• The Great Purple Emperor butterfly flies around between 4 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing butterflies can be caught between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Banded dragonflies appear between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Pondskaters can be found skating around the top of ponds (obvs) from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.

• Diving beetles are located in ponds and rivers between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• Violin beetles appear on tree stumps (make sure you have a few on your island!) and can be caught all day.
• Rosalia Batesi beetles also appear on tree stumps all day.
• Scorpions are replacing tarantulas — be careful! They can be caught only between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m.

Northern Hemisphere — New Fish

There are also eight new fish for the month of May. Here’s a list:

• Frogs (not technically a fish, we know) can be caught all day in ponds. They have a small shadow.
• Catfish can also be caught only in ponds. They have a large shadow and are found between 4 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• Nibble fish are in the river between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. They have a small shadow.
• Angelfish are found in rivers. Their small shadow will appear between 4 p.m. and 9 a.m.

• Betta fish — also found in rivers — have small shadows and can be caught between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Rainbowfish also have a small shadow and are caught in rivers between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• The Giant Trevally can be caught all day from your pier. Look for a large shadow.
• Mahi-Mahi (large shadow) can also be caught on the pier all day.

Southern Hemisphere — New Bugs

If you’re playing in the southern hemisphere, there are only three new bugs this month:

• The damselfly flies around all day.
• Mole crickets are found underground (listen for their chirping and start digging), also all day.
• Tarantulas can be caught between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m. Watch out — they bite!

Southern Hemisphere — New Fish

There are four new fish available this month to southern hemisphere players.

• Bitterlings have a small shadow and can be caught in rivers all day.
• Blowfish have a medium shadow and appear in the sea evenings between 6 p.m. and 4 a.m.
• Tuna can be caught off the pier all day. They have a large shadow.
• Football fish can be caught in the sea between 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. They have a large shadow.

The first time you catch a new critter, you’ll exclaim “Yes!” before reading the (sometimes hilarious, sometimes awful) accompanying pun. Make sure to donate one of each new bug or fish to Blathers to complete your museum. You can check whether you’ve already donated that species by checking your Critterpedia — if an owl icon appears next to the creature, it is already in your museum. Happy May, and happy fishing and bug-hunting!