How to get Scatterbug in Pokemon GO, and can it be shiny?

Scatterbug in Pokemon GO is a highly sought-after creature for its rarity and final evolution stage — Vivillon. It came to Niantic’s mobile game with the update for the Postcard Book function in 2022. A special event called Scattered to the Winds featuring Scatterbug, Spewpa, and Vivillon, started on February 18, 2025, at 10 am and will end on February 20, 2025, at 8 pm local time.

The Scattered to the Winds event marks the shiny debut of Scatterbug and its evolutions. This means you may get a Shiny Scatterbug in Pokemon GO during its period.

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How to get Scatterbug in Pokemon GO

Scatterbug in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The following are the ways to acquire a Scatterbug in Niantic's mobile game:

• Pin Postcards
• Trade

Pin Postcards

While there are 18 regional forms of Scatterbug, they all have the same design. Interestingly, their design changes when they evolve into Vivillon.

The following map shows the region from which you need to get your Scatterbug to get the corresponding Vivillon wing pattern.

Locations where Vivillon with different patterns can be found. (Image via The Pokemon Company)

To get an encounter with a specific Scatterbug in Pokemon GO, you must pin Postcards to your Postcard book. Postcards can be collected from Gifts that you receive from your in-game friends or by spinning PokeStops.

How to pin Postcards in the game (Image via Niantic)

To pin a Postcard, open the preview to a Gift and then click on the yellow thumbtack next to the "open" button. Doing this will pin the Postcard to the Postcard book. It is not even necessary to open the Gift after thumbtacking. You can also pin up to three of your own Postcards every day.

You become eligible to earn the first encounter with a Scatterbug in Pokemon GO when you pin three Postcards from the same region. For the second encounter, you must pin nine more Postcards. Pinning 15 Postcards for subsequent regions. This process applies to all 18 Scatterbug variants.

To encounter Scatterbug, click on the Trainer portrait located in the bottom left corner of your main screen. Scroll down the page until you see the Gym Badge section. After that, click on the Vivillon Collector medal icon and then select a Vivillon sub-badge. If you fulfill the requirements based on the above steps, you will see a button that says "Catch."

Each Vivillon sub-badge medal will give you an encounter with Scatterbug in Pokemon GO when the required amount of Postcards from the region a Vivillon belongs to are pinned. For example, a Scatterbug that evolves into a Monsoon Vivillon can only be acquired if you pin enough Postcards from the Monsoon region.

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Trade

Trading a Scatterbug is possible in the game but friends can only trade this monster when they meet in person.

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Can Scatterbug be shiny in Pokemon GO?

Shiny Scatterbug (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Yes, the Scatterbug you encounter as a reward can be shiny in Pokemon GO. It debuted as a part of the Scattered to the Winds event on February 18, 2025.

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Here are our other guides related to the game:

• Ditto disguises
• Buddy Evolution Adventure Together guide
• Best Fast Attacks in Pokemon GO
• Sierra counters
• Cliff counters
• Arlo counters
• Giovanni counters