Introduced in generation one, with the original Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green games, Weedle is a dual type bug and poison Pokemon. It is the base evolution of Beedrill and will evolve into Kakuna upon reaching the level threshold. Weedle is classified as the “Hairy Bug Pokemon'' by the Pokedex, a rather strange epithet as nothing in the Pokedex implies it has hair on its body. This guide will showcase Weedle’s appearances in the anime, its evolution line’s capabilities in battle, as well as other general facts about Weedle.
About Weedle
Weedle is one of the original 151 Pokemon of generation one with both Weedle and Caterpie setting the standard of the fast evolving bug type Pokemon that is found over the course of the franchise’s history. Weedle evolves into Kakuna at level 7 and Kakuna evolves into Beedrill at level 10. As a generation one Pokemon, Weedle made its first appearance in the original series with the episode Challenge of the Samurai. The Pokedex mentions its caterpillar-like abilities to locate its favorite leaves with the help of an acute sense of smell.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Original Series: Challenge of the Samurai |
| First appearance in game | Red/Green (Japan) Red/Blue (International) |
| Region | Kanto |
| Evolution | Base evolution of Beedrill, evolves into Kakuna |
| 1st Evo level | 7 |
| 2nd Evo level | 10 |
| Pokedex Entry | Weedle has an extremely acute sense of smell. It is capable of distinguishing its favorite kinds of leaves from those it dislikes just by sniffing with its big red proboscis (nose). |
Weedle Base Stats
| HP | 40 |
| ATTACK | 35 |
| DEFENCE | 30 |
| SP. ATTACK | 20 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 20 |
| SPEED | 50 |
| TOTAL | 195 |
Appearance
Weedle is a worm-like Pokemon with circular segments throughout its whole body and it moves around with the help of these spheres found throughout its body. At the base of Weedle’s body is a large stinger and it has another one on top of its head as well alongside a large red nose and two black beady eyes on its face. As a base evolution Pokemon, it is rather small at only 1 foot, or 0.3 meters, tall.
Behavior
In the anime, Ash had caught a Caterpie instead of a Weedle. His attempts to catch one are typically met with a swarm of Beedrill coming to attack Ash and his friends. Weedle behaves very similarly to caterpillars in real life, spending most of its time hunting for its favorite leaves to eat. The Pokedex mentions its acute sense of smell and its poisonous capabilities with it warding off aggressors with the stingers on its head and tail.
Strengths and Weaknesses
As a base evolution Pokemon, there is not much about Weedle that is worthwhile. Its biggest selling point is how quickly it can evolve into Kakuna and subsequently Beedrill. Weedle has very poor base stats and it can only become a problem through its proficiency in poisoning your party. As a dual type bug and poison Pokemon, Weedle is 2x weak to flying, rock, fire, and psychic type moves. It is also resistant to fighting, poison, bug, grass, and fairy types while being immune to no specific type.
Shiny Weedle
Shiny Weedle’s evolution line received the lime green shiny treatment but Weedle itself replaces its brown/cream color for a bright yellow/gold tone. While a Shiny Weedle can be missed without proper concentration, it is still a relatively distinct shiny Pokemon. The red feelers on regular Weedle become pink in Shiny Weedle’s color palette. Like all shiny Pokemon, a Shiny Weedle will have a starry animation upon entering battle.
Best Moveset
There is very little reason to consider Weedle for competitive play. Even in LC (Little Cup) brackets where every Pokemon has to be its base evolution, it is difficult to find success with Weedle. There is only one moveset to be considered with Weedle as it is only capable of learning three moves. Bug Bite, Poison Sting, and String Shot. While Bug Bite and Poison Sting both benefit from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), they both have little base power and Weedle’s base stats make it even more underwhelming. String Shot can slow down your opponents, making Weedle a more supportive Pokemon than an aggressive one. If you really want to run Weedle in your competitive team, consider running one of its evolution line counterparts instead.
| Bug Bite | Poison Sting |
| String Shot | N/A |
How to Catch Weedle in Pokemon Go
If you want to obtain a Weedle in Pokemon Go, it is very simple to do so. As a base evolution bug/poison type Pokemon, it is an easy and common encounter in the wild. Any grassy areas like farmland, forests, gardens, or playgrounds will boost the chance of a Weedle spawning. Even industrial areas like parking structures, factories, offices, or other poison type spawns will boost Weedle’s spawn rate. While Weedle has not appeared as a raid boss in Pokemon Gyms, it can be fairly easy to find it while walking around.
Trivia
- Of all the Poison type Pokemon in the franchise, Weedle has the lowest base stat total of all.
- The inspiration for Weedle’s design likely comes from the larva of wasps or bees.
- The name weedle is likely a combination of the words bee and needle.
Video
FAQ
What does a Weedle turn into?
Weedle will evolve into Kakuna upon reaching level 7 with there no special condition you need to fulfill and as you just need to meet the level threshold. Once a Weedle reaches level 7, allow the evolution animation to finish without pressing the “B” button.
When Should I evolve Weedle?
There is no move to concern yourself with regarding Weedle as it is only capable of learning up to three moves which are Bug Bite, Poison Sting, and String Shot. If you truly want Bug Bite, you can wait until level 15 before you evolve your Weedle, but Beedrill will learn other bug type moves that can suffice.
How many Evolutions does Weedle have?
Weedle is part of a three stage evolution. One being Weedle itself, another being Kakuna with Beedrill the final evolution . Weedle will evolve into Kakuna upon reaching level 7, and Kakuna will evolve into Beedrill upon reaching level 10. There are no special conditions to fulfill with Weedle’s evolution line.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Hairy Bug Pokemon”. Weedle is a unique Pokemon as it is one of the original 151 Pokemon that set the standard of fast evolving bug type Pokemon alongside Caterpie. Throughout the franchise, there is typically at least one three stage evolution bug Pokemon that evolves with little investment. As Beedrill received a mega evolution in generation six, Weedle’s involvement with the franchise remains a memorable event, even 25 years later.
