Fly Animal Crossing New Horizons
Image: Nintendo Life

If you're looking to catch a fly in Animal Crossing: New Horizons but can't find one, that's because you'll need to attract it before you can add it to the list of bugs in your Critterpedia. If you haven't seen a fly on your island yet, you should take it as a compliment! The absence of this bug is an indicator that you and your town are clean and tidy, prim and proper, and it will need to be if you're going to get a three-star island rating and attract K.K. Slider to your island.

Fortunately, catching a fly is really very easy when you know how. Attracting this litter bug involves leaving some trash lying around your island and simply waiting for it to come...

How to catch a fly in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

In order to catch a fly you'll need a piece of trash, or 'rubbish' if you prefer. Spoiled turnips (turnips over one week old) apparently do the trick, although we used one of the many old tin cans we pulled from the waterways around our island with our fishing rod (old tires and boots also reportedly work to attract flies, too).

To attract and catch a fly simply leave the piece of trash outside somewhere on your island and walk away. At some point the critter will appear buzzing around the rubbish ready for you to catch it with your bug net.

It may take some for a fly to spawn - we left the can outside for a day or two before we noticed a fly buzzing around it, but it's quite possible we simply missed seeing the fly beforehand (they are rather small). If you've got loads of trash, dump it all on the ground to improve the chances of attracting flies.

Approach carefully, swing and job done. You can then pick up your litter (littering will have a detrimental effect on your island's star-rating) and put it where it belongs (or use it to craft items) and head to Blathers in the Museum and improve the cultural heritage of your island by donating a fly to the entomology wing. Jolly good!

The Fly Animal Crossing New Horizons
Image: Nintendo Life

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!