Animal Crossing New Horizons: How to Catch an Atlas Moth

Given that Nintendo adds regular updates to Animal Crossing New Horizons, the most lucrative critters to catch tend to change on a monthly basis. Atlas Moths are currently a pretty good way of making money, as they can be sold to Timmy and Tommy for a pretty sizable amount of Bells. In this guide we'll teach you how to catch Atlas Moths and how to farm them for maximum Bells by creating an Atlas Moth island.

On this page:

• How to Catch Atlas Moths
• How to Make an Atlas Moth Island to Farm Atlas Moths
• How Much Can You Sell Atlas Moths For?

How to Catch Atlas Moths

To catch Atlas Moths in Animal Crossing New Horizons you'll need to look on trees between the hours of 7 p.m. and 4 a.m. They will be pretty big so you'll notice them immediately, and we've found that they spawn on coconut trees pretty easily.

How to Make an Atlas Moth Island to Farm Atlas Moths

The best way to farm Atlas Moths is to make an Atlas Moth island. Just follow these steps.

1. Head to a deserted island using a Nook Miles Ticket (more on that here)
2. Make sure you have as much space in your inventory as possible. You will need a shovel, an axe, a vaulting pole, a ladder, and a net.
3. Once you're at the island, remove all weeds, trees (not coconut trees), tree stumps, rocks, and pick all of the flowers.
4. All that should be remaining are coconut trees on the beach.
5. Now, run around scaring off beetles, and any bug that is not an Atlas Moth.
6. Check coconut trees while you do this, Atlas Moths will spawn.

Something to keep in mind is that Giant Water Bugs will need to be caught with nets when you see them so that Moths can spawn. Also, Tarantulas may spawn (more on tarantulas here), but these are worth catching as they are more valuable. With this method you should be able to fill your inventory in no time; just run laps around the island scaring bugs until moths spawn on trees. Another thing to keep an eye (or ear) out for are Mole Crickets. You'll be able to hear these chirping and will need to dig them up to increase spawn rates of other insects. You can read more about Mole Crickets here.

How Much Can You Sell Atlas Moths For?

You can sell Atlas Moths for 3,000 Bells at Nook's Cranny. This makes them well worth your time as a full inventory will be worth 120,000 Bells. Another option is to save the moths until Flick arrives on your island. He will give you 4,500 per moth.

Looking for more on Animal Crossing New Horizons? You should check out Caty's article on storing Turnips. Elsewhere there's Nadia's article on how the game emanates powerful flip-phone nostalgia.