Coral Island Catching Guide header image of the player chasing down a butterfly with their net in the middle of the grassy woods

Coral Island Catching Guide

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Published: October 15, 2022 8:40 AM

Who doesn't love running around with a giant net collecting bugs and crawling creatures? In Coral Island, just as in many other farming sims, there are a plethora of bugs and insects to collect. Some are worth a hefty amount from the shipping container and some are better off being donated to the Museum to further progress in the game. In this Coral Island catching guide, we will cover all of the bugs we have currently collected, where they can be found, what they are worth, and what time of day they can be found. 

How to Catch Bugs in Coral Island

First, you will need to obtain a bug-catching net, which is done by completing the quest "Visit the Beach Shack", where Sunny will give you a free Basic Bug Net, along with a  fishing pole. This is where your creepy crawler-catching journey begins! Now that you are armed with the right tool, the hard part begins; actually catching the elusive creatures.

The bug-catching mechanic in this game is not easy to master, as it will take patience and time. The bugs in Coral Island scare extremely easily and will begin to flash an exclamation point above their heads as you get close to them. You will also notice a circular countdown timer that appears right next to the exclamation point, which starts full and slowly depletes as the bug becomes more afraid of your presence. Once that bar has completely depleted, the bug will now flash two exclamation points above its head and begin flying and/or running away at breakneck speed. At this point, you have almost always lost the catch, unless you have extremely quick reflexes and manage to snag it out of mid-air or mid-run. If the bug runs too far away, it will despawn, and you will no longer be able to catch that exact bug and must wait to find a new one to attempt yet another swing of the net. 

You will also notice when you aim down your bug net, not only does your character slow down exponentially, but you have a radius triangle in front of your body. That radius shows when the bug is close enough to catch when you swing the net. The bug will also light up green when it is within your range, making it easier to tell when to release the net. Again, these bugs are extremely easy to scare away, so moving slowly with your bug net drawn is the best way to secure the catch. 

Once you have successfully caught a bug, much like fishing in the game, it will show you the bug's length and the name of the bug you have managed to catch. It will also add the bug to your Journal, where you can select the "Caught" menu and choose the "Insects" option to see every bug you have ever collected. 

Coral Island Catching Mastery Skills

These are the Skills that you can unlock as you progress with Catching Mastery; you can spend Skill Points on the Mastery screen in the menu.

Tier I Skills

  • Double Catch: 5% chance to catch double insects and ocean critters.
  • Light Feet I: Lowers the awareness of insects and ocean critters by 5%.
  • Light Feet II: Lowers the awareness of insects and ocean critters by 10%.
  • There are two more Tier I Skills that are not yet unlockable in-game currently. We will update this guide as they become available!

Tier II Skills

The Tier II Skills are not yet implemented in Coral Island as of Early Access v0.1 -49002.

Best Coral Island Catching Skill to Take First

As of right now, the number one Catching Skill to take first in Coral Island is without a doubt Light Feet I. These bugs in the game are hyper-aware of your presence almost instantly when you walk up on them. This makes bug catching a serious task to master and with the Light Feet Skills available it does make it to where the bugs take a bit longer to sprint away in fear. Even though the decrease in the bug's awareness is only by 10% at this time, you will immediately see the difference in terms of them noticing you as you begin approaching them, making bug catching slightly easier and less tedious in the long run. 

Coral Island Catching Mastery Level-Up Rewards

  1. Level 1: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, No Recipe Given.  
  2. Level 2: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, Bee House Recipe. 
  3. Level 3: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, No Recipe Given.
  4. Level 4: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, ?
  5. Level 5: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, ?
  6. Level 6: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, ?
  7. Level 7: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, ?
  8. Level 8: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, ?
  9. Level 9: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, ?
  10. Level 10: +1 Skill Points, +3 Max Energy, ?
Screenshot of player in Coral Island showing off the Janetta Forester Butterfly with bright Blue and yellow colored wings in the forest, Coral Island Catching Guide

Coral Island Bug List - Locations and Value

Assam Silk Moth

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area
  • Sells for: 30 Coins. 
  • Time of day: Daytime. 

Banded Woollybear

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: Unknown.
  • Time of day: Daytime.

Cecropia Caterpillar

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area.
  • Sells for: 110 Coins.
  • Time of day: Daytime.

Centipede

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: 50 Coins. 
  • Time of day: Nighttime. 

Cricket

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: Unknown.
  • Time of day: Daytime.

Fly

  • Where to find it: In trash cans, Near the town, In any forest, By the Beach, 
  • Sells for: 10 Coins.
  • Time of day: Daytime.

Grasshopper

  • Where to find it: Any grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: 55 Coins. 
  • Time of day: Daytime. 

Ground Beetle

  • Where to find it: Trash cans, In the forest, By the Beach, Near rocks and logs, 
  • Sells for: 45 Coins.
  • Time of day: Daytime

Hickory Horned Devil

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: Unknown.
  • Time of day: Anytime.

Janetta Forester Butterfly 

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, By the Carpenter, 
  • Sells for: 30 Coins. 
  • Time of day: Daytime.

Lady Beetle

  • Where to find it: Trash cans, Land location not yet known. 
  • Sells for: 45 Coins.
  • Time of day: Daytime.

Little Wood Satyr Butterfly

  • Where to find it: In any grassy area.
  • Sells for: Unknown.
  • Time of day: Daytime. 

Luna Moth

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern,
  • Sells for: Unknown.
  • Time of day: Unknown.

Maple Leafcutter Moth

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area.
  • Sells for: 165 Coins.
  • Time of day: Anytime. 

Olivewing Butterfly

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: 75 Coins. 
  • Time of day: Anytime.

Pine Sphinx

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: Unknown.
  • Time of day: Anytime. 

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly 

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: 75 Coins.
  • Time of day: Anytime.

Praying Mantis

  • Where to find it: In any forest,
  • Sells for: 63 Coins. 
  • Time of day: Daytime. 

Puss Moth

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, By the Beach,
  • Sells for: 75 Coins.
  • Time of day: Unknown.

Red Admiral

  • Where to find it: Unknown.
  • Sells for: Unknown.
  • Time of day: Unknown.

Scarites Beetle

  • Where to find it: Trash cans, Land location not yet known, 
  • Sells for: 45 Coins. 
  • Time of day: Unknown. 

Snail

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area
  • Sells for: 20 Coins. 
  • Time of day: Daytime

Soldier Beetle

  • Where to find it: Trash cans, In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern,
  • Sells for: Unknown.
  • Time of day: Anytime. 

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, 
  • Sells for: 60 Coins.
  • Time of day: Daytime. 

Violin Beetle

  • Where to find it: In any forest or grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: 100 Coins.
  • Time of day: Nighttime. 

Wasp

  • Where to find it: Near the town, In any grassy area, By the Cavern, 
  • Sells for: Unknown.
  • Time of day: Daytime. 

Samantha Plaisance Gaming Writer
| Former Staff Writer

Samantha is an experienced Freelance Gaming Writer with a deep passion for all things gaming. At a young age, she was introduced to the wonderful world of… More about Samantha

More Info About This Game
Learn More About Coral Island
Game Page Coral Island
Developer
Stairway Games
Publisher
Humble Games
Release Date
October 11, 2022 (Calendar)
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