Animal Crossing Bugs And Fish May
Image: Nintendo Life

Every month in Animal Crossing: New Horizons a selection of the game's 80 fish, 80 bugs and 40 sea creatures cycle in or out. The catchable creatures that make up your Critterpedia migrate based on the real-time seasons tied to your Switch's internal clock, so unless you mess with your console's clock and engage in some time-travelling shenanigans, Tuesday 31st May is the last day for some time that you'll be able to catch the fish and bugs listed below — unless you get lucky and visit a different season on one of Kapp'n's Island Boat Tours, that is.

The seasons in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are based on your choice of Northern or Southern hemisphere at the beginning of the game. Different fish and bugs coming and going every month, but wherever you are in the world you'll have the opportunity to catch everything at some point during a calendar year.

We have listed all the bugs, fish and sea creatures that will be leaving Animal Crossing: New Horizons in both hemispheres below. They are listed in Critterpedia order but click the column headers to reorder them to your liking.

In addition to the outgoing critters, we have also listed the incoming fish, bugs and sea creatures returning after a hiatus to each hemisphere this month.

If you're after more information on bugs, fish or sea creatures, check out our complete New Horizons fish guide, bug guide and sea creature guide. Each contains information regarding the exact location of all critters on your island along with when they're available. Don't forget to also check out our exhaustive Animal Crossing: New Horizons guide hub while you're at it.

Fish, Bugs and Sea Creatures leaving Animal Crossing: New Horizons at the end of May (Northern Hemisphere)

The following fish will no longer be available to catch in June in the Northern hemisphere:

Fish pic

Fish name

Time of day

Location

Returns in

17. Loach Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Loach

All day and night

Rivers

Sep

29. Golden Trout Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Golden Trout

4pm - 9am

Clifftop river

Sep

78. Oarfish Animal Crosing New Horizon Fishs
Image: Nintendo Life

Oarfish

All day and night

Sea

Dec

The following bugs will no longer be available to catch in June in the Northern hemisphere:

Bug pic

Bug name

Time of day

Location

Returns in

37. Mole Cricket Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Mole Cricket

All day and night

Underground (move to where it is loudest and dig)

Nov

The following sea creatures will no longer be available to catch in June in the Northern hemisphere:

Sea Creature name

Time of day

Returns in

Dungeness Crab

Any time

Nov

Turban Shell

Any time

Sep

Umbrella Octopus

Any time

Sep

Fish, Bugs and Sea Creatures leaving Animal Crossing: New Horizons at the end of May (Southern Hemisphere)

The following fish will no longer be available to catch in June in the Southern hemisphere:

Fish pic

Fish name

Time of day

Location

Returns in

27. Cherry Salmon Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Cherry Salmon

4pm - 9am

Rivers

Sep

28. Char Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Char

4pm - 9am

Rivers and ponds

Sep

29. Golden Trout Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Golden Trout

4pm - 9am

Clifftop river

Sep

33. Mitten Crab Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Mitten Crab

4pm - 9am

Rivers

Mar 2021

34. Guppy Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Guppy

9am - 4pm

Rivers

Oct

38. Neon Tetra Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Neon Tetra

9am - 4pm

Rivers

Oct

48. Sea Horse Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Sea Horse

All day and night

Sea

Oct

53. Zebra Turkeyfish Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Zebra Turkeyfish

All day and night

Sea

Oct

58. Barred Knifejaw Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Barred Knifejaw

All day and night

Sea

Sep

71. Ray Animal Crossing New Horizons Fish
Image: Nintendo Life

Ray

4am - 9pm

Sea

Feb 2021

The following bugs will no longer be available to catch in June in the Southern hemisphere:

Bug pic

Bug name

Time of day

Location

Returns in

8. Monarch Butterfly Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Monarch Butterfly

4am - 5pm

Air

Mar 2021

16. Long Locust Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Long Locust

8am - 7pm

Ground

Nov

17. Migratory Locust Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Migratory Locust

8am - 7pm

Ground

Feb 2021

18. Rice Grasshopper Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Rice Grasshopper

8am - 7pm

Ground

Feb 2021

20. Cricket Animal Crossing New Horizons
Image: Nintendo Life

Cricket

5pm - 8am

Ground

Mar 2021

22. Mantis Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Mantis

8am - 5pm

On flowers

Sep

23. Orchid Mantis Animal Crosing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Orchid Mantis

8am - 5pm

On flowers (white)

Sep

46. Violin Beetle Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Violin Beetle

All day and night

Tree stumps

Nov

66. Walking Stick Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Walking Stick

4am - 8am, 5pm - 7pm

On trees

Jan 2021

74. Flea Animal Crossing New Horizons Bug
Image: Nintendo Life

Flea

All day and night

On island residents

Oct

The following sea creatures will no longer be available to catch in June in the Southern hemisphere:

Sea Creature name

Time of day

Returns in

Gazami Crab

Any time

Dec

Umbrella Octopus

Any time

Sep

Incoming Critters in November - Fish, Bugs and Sea Creatures returning in May

Northern Hemisphere

These are the fish and bugs returning in May in the Northern hemisphere:

New Fish (May - Northern hemisphere)

  • Frog (All day and night / Ponds)
  • Catfish (4pm - 9am / Ponds)
  • Nibble Fish (9am - 4pm / Rivers)
  • Anglefish (4pm - 9am / Rivers)
  • Betta (9am - 4pm / Rivers)
  • Rainbowfish (9am - 4pm / Rivers)
  • Giant Trevally (All day and night / Sea - pier)
  • Mahi-Mahi (All day and night / Sea - pier)

New Bugs (May - Northern hemisphere)

  • Great Purple Emperor (4am - 7pm / Air)
  • Queen Alexandra's Birdwing (8am - 4pm / Air)
  • Banded Dragonfly (8am - 5pm / Air)
  • Damselfly (All day and night / Air)
  • Pondskater (8am - 7pm / On ponds)
  • Diving Beetle (8am - 7pm / On ponds and rivers)
  • Violin Beetle (All day and night / Tree stumps)
  • Rosalia Batesi Beetle (All day and night / Tree stumps)
  • Scorpion (7pm - 4am / Ground)

New Sea Creatures (May - Northern hemisphere)

  • Gigas Giant Clam (Any time / Sea)
  • Sea Urchin (Any time / Sea)
  • Slate Pencil Urchin (4pm - 9am / Sea)
  • Spotted Garden Eel (4am - 9pm / Sea)
  • Vampire Squid (4pm - 9am / Sea)

Southern Hemisphere

These are the fish and bugs returning in May in the Southern hemisphere:

New fish (May - Southern Hemisphere)

  • Bitterling (All day and night / Rivers)
  • Blowfish (9pm - 4am / Sea)
  • Tuna (All day and night / Sea - pier)
  • Blue Marlin (All day and night / Sea - pier)
  • Football Fish (4pm - 9am / Sea)

New bugs (May - Southern Hemisphere)

  • Mole Cricket (All day and night / Underground - move to where it is loudest and dig)
  • Tarantula (7pm - 4am / Ground)

New Sea Creatures (May - Southern hemisphere)

  • Chambered Nautilus (4pm - 9am / Sea)
  • Dungeness Crab (Any time / Sea)
  • Red King Crab (Any time / Sea)
  • Sea Cucumber (Any time / Sea)
  • Sea Pig (4pm - 9am / Sea)
  • Snow Crab (Any time / Sea)

This article is part of our Animal Crossing: New Horizons walkthrough, which includes a Complete Fish List, Complete Bug List and Complete Sea Creatures List. If you're looking for specific fish or bugs, we can tell you how to catch the elusive Coelacanth, Mahi-Mahi, Giant Trevally, Stringfish, Golden Trout and all the Sharks and Beetles, along with a full list of critters leaving at the end of the month (unless you visit Kapp'n's Boat Tour islands, of course!).

We can also help with How to Spot Redd's Fake Paintings and Statues, How to Make Bells Fast, How to Breed Flowers, How to Get more DIY Recipes, How to Upgrade Nook's Cranny, where and when to find special characters like Gulliver, Sable, Label, Wisp, Celeste, Pirate Gulliver and Jack, plus tips on using the Star Wand, Tool Ring, Rock Trick, Cutting Down and Moving Trees, using amiibo on Harv's Island, How to Back Up Your Island Data, How to Time Travel, How to Get a 5-Star Island Rating and a whole lot more.

If it's new content you're looking for help with, we can help you find gyroids, unlock Brewster's café, use the new Pro Camera App for selfies, enact new ordinances, get the beloved Froggy Chair, and even learn How to Cook.

And finally, Where to Buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch, if for some reason you haven't yet picked up the game, and How To Buy The Happy Home Paradise DLC, too!