Starsand Island Bug Catching Guide: All Insect Locations
Swinging a net wildly at butterflies is a time-honored farming sim tradition, and Starsand Island happily continues that legacy of forcing you to act like a deranged entomologist.
The game is currently in Early Access, meaning nobody actually holds your hand and explains how to go about hoarding these insects. You are mostly left to figure it out for yourself. While catching bugs might feel like an afterthought compared to building your farm, it is actually a fantastic way to scrape together some much-needed cash in the early game. Plus, you eventually need them to craft specific items or fulfill random bulletin board requests. I spent hours tracking down every single insect on this rock. Let's get your net sorted.
How to Catch Bugs Without Looking Stupid
You cannot just grab a beetle with your bare hands. You need the right tool for the job.
As soon as you finish the main tutorial, the game hands you a blueprint for a Bug Net. Take that over to a Worktable I and piece it together. Equip it to your hotbar and you are officially ready to terrorize the local ecosystem.
The actual catching mechanic takes a bit of patience. Bugs are skittish little bastards. If you sprint blindly at them, they will vanish into thin air. You have to toggle your movement to a walk so you can slowly creep up on your prey. Keep in mind that your character has a slight delay when swinging the net. Watch the movement patterns of your target, anticipate where it is going to be, and swing a half-second early so you do not hit empty air.
What Are Bugs Actually Used For?
Right now, insects are not the most fleshed-out resource in the game. That might change as updates roll out, but you still need them for a few chores.
First and foremost, you can shove them into a Separator to make Protein Powder. Do not think too hard about the sanitary implications of doing that. You will also get random tasks on the Request Bulletin that demand specific insects in exchange for rewards. Beyond that, bugs exist to be sold. Dumping a massive stack of beetles into the shipping bin is a fast track to making money when your crops are still growing. Oh, and if you manage to catch bees, you can throw them into your ranching setup to produce honey.
Every Bug Location and Spawn Time
I scoured every inch of the map so you do not have to guess where the good bugs hide. Pay attention to the weather and time requirements, because some of these things simply refuse to spawn when it rains.
