Animal Crossing: New Horizons: How To Catch An Ant

If you're looking to catch an ant or two in Animal Crossing: New Horizons to add to the list of bugs in your Critterpedia you're not going to find them as easily as other bugs on your not-so-deserted island. In fact, much like catching a fly, you'll need to attract the creepy crawlies with some bait. In this case, rotten turnips do the trick.

How to catch an ant in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

In order to catch an ant you'll need at least one turnip, specifically a week-old spoiled turnip. To buy turnips you'll have speak to the turnip seller Daisy Mae on a Sunday morning. She can be found roaming your island every Sunday between the hours of 5am and midday, so make sure you don't miss that window of opportunity (like we keep doing).

Turnips are sold in batches of 10 and that's the smallest number you can separate out into an individual item (highlight them in your inventory and select 'Grab 10'). There's no point wasting more if you bought loads and have stacked batches of 100.

Normally you'd want to sell your turnips to Timmy and Tommy within 7 days before they spoil, but to catch ants you'll need a spoiled turnips, so you'll need to wait 7 whole days for it to turn bad. We simply left our turnip(s) outside our house for the entire time.

After a week, once the turnip turns brown and bad, it will eventually attract the attention of ants who arrive in a line to devour the vegetable. Simply use your net to swipe at them and catch them like you would any other bug. Easy!

You can then pick up the spoiled turnip and throw it away (littering will have a detrimental effect on your island's star-rating, which you'll want to reach at least three stars to attract K.K. Slider for a concert), and donate the ant to Blathers in the Museum.

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!