How the bug off works
Let's start by answering some of the most common questions and offer some pre-bug off tips. In short, when the Bug Off starts, you just need to talk to Flick to get started. The way it works is the same as for the Fishing Tournament where you have three minutes to catch as many bugs as possible, with each score you can use points to win prizes. Each bug is worth one point, but if you catch three or more you get a two point bonus. You will get more bonus points if more people play, earning 5 points for 5-7 bugs, 7 for 10-14 and 10 bonus points if you catch 15 or more. Try to regroup if you can.
New Horizons Bug Off Date and Time
Each bug in Animal Crossing: New Horizons will start at 9 a.m. and continue until 18 p.m. Flick will remain during these hours, allowing you to make as many attempts as you want and allow you to buy prizes even after the event is over. Get these points because once he's gone they'll be gone and you'll have to wait for the next Bug Off date, which is listed below, for 2020 and early 2021 for the Southern Hemisphere.
Insect closure dates in the northern hemisphere
27 June
July 25
22 August
26 September
Southern hemisphere closure dates
21st November
16 December
16 janvier
20 February
Now that you know when it's happening, let's take a look at how you can prepare for the event before it starts.
How to prepare and score more points
First of all, while your first participation in the event is free every three minutes thereafter, it costs 500 bells. So try to have spare bells on hand for the event. You'll also want to make or buy a bunch of extra mosquito nets, as they can and will break during the event. And since this event relies on bugs, which cannot be lured to you using bait, you'll want to prepare your island to get the most bugs spawned.
Plant flowers, especially hybrids, and make sure there are trees near the resident services, where Flick sets up his stand. This will create a pleasant area to walk through during the three minute sessions, maximizing your bug and point feedback. You can also drop trash on the ground to attract flies and leave stumps for other types of insect appearances. And keep in mind that it all depends on the quantity, the type doesn't really matter except when you sell them to Flick for more Bells.
Many players may think they can catch a bunch of bugs before the event starts and turn them over once it has started. Unfortunately, like the Fishing Tourney, this is not the case. During a Bug Off session, any bugs you catch will teleport to Flick and are immediately returned, so you can't walk with a pocket full of tarantula and get all the prizes. Talking about that…
What are the prizes and how to get the gold trophy
Anytime you have ten points, you can redeem them for a Bug Off prize. You will get a random prize each time, but it will be new if you haven't collected them all. With thirteen prizes on offer, you need to score at least 130 points to get them all, although you'll likely want more for the trophy (see below). Here are all the prizes you can get during Bug Off.
Handcrafted insect cage
Bug Aloha Shirt
Insect bag
Magic wand
Butterfly backpack
Butterflies Wallpaper
Ladybug rug
Ladybug umbrella
Spider Door Plate
Spider web
Termite Mound
Centipede toy
Cockroach toy
But above all the other prizes are the trophies. There are three levels you can reach during the Bug Off, with Flick sending you your trophy after the event. To get them you need to earn quite a few points, so here is the breakdown.
Bronze trophy - 100 points
Silver trophy - 200 points
Gold trophy - 300 points
This means you'll probably have to catch hundreds of bugs during Bug Off, so be prepared to spend a large chunk of your Saturday running with a net. Fortunately, spending points on prizes doesn't drop your total winnings, but try to keep track of when you can stop.
