Animal Crossing: New Horizons - How to catch a Tarantula

Animal Crossing: New Horizons gives players control of an island teeming with life. There are various animals to catch, including fish, bugs, and wasps. One such rare creepy-crawly is the Tarantula. This spider is most sought after in Animal Crossing: New Horizons since it trades for 8000 bells. They are, however, fierce and will attack players if they get near them. Note that a bite causes respawn at home.

You will need a net to catch a Tarantula. When players spot the critter, they should read their net by holding the A button and then start approaching it. When the Tarantula spots you, it lifts its legs in an attacking stance. This is a cue for you to stop moving. Players can start approaching it again when Tarantula relaxes and swings before it can attack.

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Finding and catching a Tarantula in Animal Crossing: New Horizons requires some tact

Tarantula is a dangerous creature in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and can be found in the Northern Hemisphere from November to April. From May to October, they can be caught in the Southern Hemisphere. These creatures appear at night, i.e., between 7:00 pm and 4:00 am.

Tarantula moves fast the moment it notices a player approaching it. If players get caught, they will have to repeat this journey, which will take them more time, especially if they have ventured far from home. As a workaround, players can dig a series of holes with sufficient space between them to be able to move.

Dig holes to prevent Tarantula from attacking. (Image via Nintendo)

In this scenario, when the spider decides to chase a player, it will fall short and cannot keep up. Players can leverage this opening to quickly swing the net without worrying about the Tarantula’s attack.

Another way to hunt for Tarantula is to head to ’Tarantula Island.' That’s the name fans of Animal Crossing: New Horizons gave the mystery island where Tarantulas spawn. The island is a rare occurrence, and players must go on multiple mystery tours to land on the island.

This is a hefty investment, as a trip to the mystery island can set the player back 2000 miles. Players must start a mystery tour only after 7:00 pm. since Tarantulas only spawn at night, empty the inventory before heading to the island. If you reach Tarantula island, you can farm as many spiders as possible without worrying about filling the inventory.

Once on a mystery island, players do not have the option to return to that island again. Farming Tarantulas is an especially cautious endeavor in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. If you land on the island, you can earn many bells in one visit.

Players can then sell all these critters to Flick on home island. Flick is a merchant character who buys all kinds of bugs, and in exchange, players earn Bells. Flick is not a permanent villager, and only appears once a week on the island. Players must have a town hall to be able to spawn Flick.

Flick occasionally hosts an event called ‘Bug off’ wherein players can catch bugs quickly to earn more rewards. This is only a day-long event and offers exclusive rewards that can't be earned until the next ‘Bug off.’ You can take advantage of this and multiply the benefits.

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons has a living, breathing world with colorful characters and dynamic events. This encourages the community to band together and share the tidbits of their findings with others.

Players always have something new to indulge in every time they log into the game. This keeps the experience fresh and creates a world that feels lived in and adapts to your actions.