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Catch these Animal Crossing: New Horizons bugs and fish before September ends

Shark season is over for the Northern Hemisphere

An Animal Crossing character holding a Blue Marlin Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

September is nearly over, which means some of the critters in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are leaving as the seasons change.

To help make sure you grab what you can before they disappear, we’ve put together a list of things to hunt down and fill out the the Museum.

While folks who time travel don’t have as much to worry about when it comes to catching this variety of bugs, people playing by the day will not want to wait months to continue their collection.

For fish, we recommend using bait, crafted using the manila clams that you can dig up on the beach, to quickly spawn fish in the desired location. Simply make the bait at your crafting table and toss it into the water from your inventory.

The Northern Hemisphere players are losing lots of critters. Summer is over, which means temperatures are dropping and waters are getting colder, so say goodbye to all the sharks and a large chunk of the bugs. Meanwhile, not many things are leaving the Southern Hemisphere, but since it’s approaching spring, many critters will likely start appearing next month.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons critters leaving after September (Northern Hemisphere)

Critter type Critter Location Shadow Size Time
Critter type Critter Location Shadow Size Time
Bug Tiger Butterfly Flying N/A 4 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Bug Emperor Butterfly Flying N/A 5 p.m. - 8 a.m.
Bug Agrias Butterfly Flying N/A 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bug Raja Brooke's Birdwing Flying by purple flowers N/A 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bug Queen Alexandra's Birdwing Flying N/A 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Bug Atlas Moth On trees N/A 7 p.m. - 4 a.m.
Bug Madagascan Sunset Moth Flying N/A 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Bug Grasshopper On ground N/A 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bug Walker Cicada On trees N/A 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bug Pondskater Ponds N/A 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Bug Diving Beetle Ponds and rivers N/A 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Bug Giant Water Bug Ponds and rivers N/A 7 p.m. - 8 a.m.
Bug Rosalia Batesi Beetle On tree stumps N/A All day
Bug Earth-boring Dung Beetle On ground N/A All day
Bug Goliath Beetle On coconut trees N/A 5 p.m. - 8 a.m.
Bug Rainbow Stag On trees N/A 7 p.m. - 8 a.m.
Bug Mosquito Flying N/A 5 p.m. - 4 a.m.
Fish Crawfish Pond Small All day
Fish Soft-shelled Turtle River Large 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Fish Sweetfish River Medium All day
Fish Salmon River (mouth) Large All day
Fish King Salmon River (mouth) Largest All day
Fish Nibble Fish River Smallest 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Fish Piranha River Small 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., 9 p.m. - 4 a.m.
Fish Arowana River Large 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Fish Dorado River X Large 4 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Fish Gar Pond Largest 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Fish Arapaima River Largest 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Fish Saddled Bichir River Large 9 p.m. - 4 a.m.
Fish Clown Fish Sea Smallest All day
Fish Surgeonfish Sea Small All day
Fish Butterfly Fish Sea Small All day
Fish Puffer Fish Sea Medium All day
Fish Blue Marlin Pier Largest All day
Fish Ocean Sunfish Sea Largest (Fin) 4 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Fish Saw Shark Sea Largest (Fin) 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Fish Hammerhead Shark Sea Largest (Fin) 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Fish Great White Shark Sea Largest (Fin) 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Fish Whale Shark Sea Largest (Fin) All day
Fish Suckerfish Sea Large (Fin) All day
Sea Creature Sea grapes Ocean (diving) N/A All day
Sea Creature Sea urchin Ocean (diving) N/A All day
Sea Creature Slate pencil urchin Ocean (diving) N/A 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Sea Creature Moon jellyfish Ocean (diving) N/A All day
Sea Creature Gigas giant clam Ocean (diving) N/A All day
Sea Creature Tiger prawn Ocean (diving) N/A 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Sea Creature Horseshoe crab Ocean (diving) N/A 9 p.m. - 4 a.m.
Sea Creature Flatworm Ocean (diving) N/A 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons critters leaving after September (Southern Hemisphere)

Critter type Critter Location Shadow Size Time
Critter type Critter Location Shadow Size Time
Bug Emperor Butterfly Flying N/A 5 p.m. - 8 a.m.
Fish Bitterling River Smallest All day
Fish Yellow Perch River Medium All day
Fish Stringfish River (Clifftop) X Large 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Fish Sturgeon River (mouth) Largest All day
Fish Sea Butterfly Sea Smallest All day
Fish Football Fish Sea Large 4 p.m. - 9 a.m.
Sea Creature Red king crab Ocean (Diving) N/A All day

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