Main Walkthrough
This guide is undergoing heavy construction, and will be updated regularly.
Though some of the creatures you'll see roaming Coral Island are mere background fluff, a lot of them are interactable. This includes the many Insects that live on the island, and using a Bug Net you can catch and collect them all. More, you can go diving and grab a handful of Sea Critters in much the same fashion.
This guide covers the ins and outs of catching Insects and Sea Critters in Coral Island. Snagging them all is more difficult than you might think, so we'll start with the basics.
How to Catch
In order to catch anything you'll first need a Basic Bug Net. You'll receive this tool by completing Visit the Beach Shack, a quest that will pop up a few days after you begin a new game. Place the Bug Net alongside your other tools, and equip it when you want to go bug hunting. Clicking the action button will swing the net, and if something happens to be in range you'll catch it.
Whenever you hold down the action button with the Bug Net equipped a cone will appear out the front of your character. This represents the capture range of the Bug Net. Your target needs to be inside this cone for a catch to be successful. You'll know if a bug is close enough if it turns green. Once it does you should release the button for a quick capture. Gauging where a bug is in relation to your character can be difficult if it's flying or swimming, so noting the green coloration is very helpful.
In addition to the Basic Bug Net it's possible to purchase an Improved Bug Net at the Beach Shack for 3,700 C. The Improved Bug Net has a larger capture cone, making it easier to catch critters. If you're serious about catching anything you should throw down the coin for the Improved Bug Net.
Approach an Insect or a Sea Critter and a circular gauge will appear around it. This indicates that the bug is aware of your presence. If the gauge fills up your target will attempt to flee, and you'll have a handful of seconds to catch it before it disappears. The circular gauge will fill more slowly if you approach your target from behind, or if you move up on it slowly by holding down the action button while you have the Bug Net equipped. In general you want to sneak up on your targets from behind or the side, then swipe your Bug Net once you're within range.
There are some Insects that will seem to flee regardless of how slowly or carefully you move. In these cases you need to take a more extreme approach and dash right up to them. Stop immediately and aim your Bug Net for a quick catch. You'll only have a few seconds before the Insect flees, so you'll need to be fast. This tactic doesn't work underwater since you can't dash.
It is possible to chase down and catch an Insect or Sea Critter once it is on the run. Position your cursor in front of you and be ready to swing once your target is close to your feet. That said, you generally want to catch the bug before the gauge fills and it panics.
TIP FOR PC USERS. I found when my computer was lagging that the bugs moved substantially slower, and when I took steps to cut down on lag the bugs sped up. There were a few Insects - the Crowned Hairstreak Butterfly, for example - that I could not catch without a reduction in FPS. Try lowering your FPS Limit to 30 in the Settings and see if that helps with the faster bugs.
Insects
The Insects of Coral Island live in the dry sections of the game, and you'll find them virtually everywhere except on your farm. The Insects you'll find vary from one season to the next, and appear at different times of the day.
Assam Silk Moth
Season: Spring, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Beach
Atlas Moth
Season: Winter
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Banded Woollybear
Season: Fall, Winter
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Anywhere
Birdwing Butterfly
Season: Winter
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Lookout
Blue Morpho Butterfly
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Day (after 12:00)
Approx. Location: Path near the Lake Temple
Cecropia Caterpillar
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Western Forest / Near the Observatory
Centipede
Season: All Seasons
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Anywhere
Cricket
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Anywhere, Trashcans
Crowned Hairstreak Butterfly
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Beach / Western Forest
Dragonfly
Season: Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Beach / Near the Lake Temple
Eastern Black Swallowtail
Season: Fall
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Beach
Firefly
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Anywhere (more often in the woods)
Fly
Season: All Seasons
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Anywhere (Recycling Center is a popular haunt)
Ghost Mantis
Season: Spring, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Southern Path / Beach
Grasshopper
Season: Fall, Summer
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Anywhere
Ground Beetle
Season: All Seasons
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Dig up ground with the Hoe / Near the Lake Temple
Gulf Fritillary
Season: Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest / Beach
Harpalus Beetle
Season: Spring, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Town / Near Observatory
Hickory Horned Devil
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Path near the Cavern
Janetta Forester Butterfly
Season: Fall, Winter
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Beach
Lady Beetle
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Southern Path / Trashcans
Leaf Beetle
Season: Winter
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Near Observatory
Little Wood Satyr Butterfly
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Path near the Lake Temple
Luna Moth
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest / Town
Magnolia Green Jumper
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Day / Night - Raining
Approx. Location: Western Forest / Path near the Lake Temple
Man-Faced Stink Bug
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Path near the Cavern
Maple Leafcutter Moth
Season: Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Southern Path / Path near the Lake Temple
Monarch Caterpillar
Season: Fall, Winter
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Moth
Season: Spring, Fall, Winter
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Anywhere
Olivewing Butterfly
Season: Fall, Winter
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Orchid Mantis
Season: Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Southern Path
Pine Sphinx
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest / Beach / Near the Lookout
Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly
Season: Spring
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Polythemus Moth
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Beach / Town
Praying Mantis
Season: Spring, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Puss Moth
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest / Path near the Lake Temple
Red Admiral
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Path near the Cavern / Southern Path
Rove Beetle
Season: Winter
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Southern Path
Saddleback
Season: Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Southern Path, Beach
Scarites Beetle
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Snail
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Anywhere
Soldier Beetle
Season: Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day and Night
Approx. Location: Path near the Lake Temple / Lookout
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly
Season: Spring
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Striped Garden Caterpillar
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest / Near the Observatory / Beach
Tarantula
Season:
Time of Day:
Approx. Location:
Tiger Beetle
Season: Spring
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Path near the Lake Temple
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
Season: Summer, Fall
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Violin Beetle
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Path east of Blacksmith
Wasp
Season: All Seasons
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Western Tiger Swallowtail
Season: Summer, Winter
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Western Forest / Path near the Lake Temple
Widow Spider
Season: Spring
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Wolf Spider
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Western Forest
Yucca Moth
Season: Spring, Summer
Time of Day: Day
Approx. Location: Beach
Sea Critters are found when you go diving. Unlike the Insects above Sea Critters seem to be available at all times of the day, and their spawn points are instead dependent on depth. Because you can't sprint in the water catching Sea Critters can be a more difficult than catching Insects.
Some Sea Critters have not been put into the game yet, but their data is in the files. Their names are included below, and these entries will be filled in once the game receives an underwater update.
Arrowcrab
Season: Spring, Winter
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: Any
Blue Lobster
Season: Any
Time of Day: Night
Approx. Location: 11 meters
Common Starfish
Season: Any
Time of Day: Any
Approx. Location: 10 meters
Eight-Armed Starfish
Season:
Time of Day:
Approx. Location:
Flowerhat Jellyfish
Season:
Time of Day:
Approx. Location:
Giraffe Seahorse
Season:
Time of Day:
Approx. Location:
Hermit Crab
Jayakar Seahorse (Not Implemented Yet)
Season:
Time of Day:
Approx. Location:
Mantis Shrimp
Season:
Time of Day:
Approx. Location:
Mauve Stinger Jellyfish
Season:
Time of Day:
Approx. Location:
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Not Implemented Yet)
Season:
Time of Day:
Approx. Location:
Tigertail Seahorse
Season: Winter
Time of Day: Any
Approx. Location: Trashcans
Whelk
Season: Summer
Time of Day: Any
Approx. Location: Trashcans
