Game Help:Sims 3 Bug Collecting

Bug Collecting

All ten types of butterflies from the base game in terrariums.

Sims can catch butterflies, beetles and Fireflies (Showtime) in The Sims 3, as part of the Collecting skill. Bugs are caught via the "Catch" interaction when you see butterflies fluttering in the air, or beetles crawling on the ground. If you have the Showtime Expansion you might see a swarm of fireflies flying around. Different types of bugs can be found in different places, and it may take your sims quite a while to locate the rarest and most valuable bugs.

Bug Collecting can be used to earn money. You can sell beetles, butterflies and fireflies directly from your sim's inventory, though selling them to the science facility will earn you even greater money.

You can also place your bugs in terrariums simply by dragging the bug out of your inventory. Terrariums can be placed on the floor or tables, and can stack up to four high. You don't have to tend the bugs in the terrariums once they're placed - they simply become a living decoration that your sims can view.

You can give your bugs names, whether they're in inventory or in the terrarium.

A sim catching a Glowy Fly in France.

Butterflies

This is a list of all available butterflies to catch in the game. Note: Values given are approximate and actual values may be more or less.

Icon	Type	Expansion	Rarity	Value
	Moth		Common	§5
	Monarch Butterfly		Common	§10
	Zephyr Metalmark Butterfly		Common	§25
	Red Admiral Butterfly		Common	§35
	Mission Blue Butterfly		Uncommon	§50
	Green Swallowtail Butterfly		Uncommon	§90
	Royal Purple Butterfly		Uncommon	§150
	Silver-spotted Skipper Butterfly		Rare	§325
	Zebra Butterfly		Rare	§650
	Rainbow Butterfly		Extraordinarily Unusual	§1080
	Crypt Moth	(Egypt)	Uncommon	§65
	Cleopatra	(Egypt)	Extraordinarily Unusual	§1200
	Bamboo Straight Swift Butterfly	(China)	Common	§20
	Yellow Band Dart Butterfly	(China)	Rare	§430
	Glowy Fly	(France)	Extraordinarily Unusual	§1500
	Two-Tailed Pasha Butterfly	(France)	Uncommon	§110
	Green Will-O'-The-Wisp		Uncommon	§80
	Blue Will-O'-The-Wisp		Rare	§250
	Pink Will-O'-The-Wisp		Extraordinarily Unusual	§820

Beetles

Here is a list of all the beetles in the game.

Icon	Type	Expansion	Rarity	Value
	Cockroach		Common	§1
	Ladybug		Common	§10
	Japanese Beetle		Common	§15
	Water Beetle		Common	§30
	Light Beetle		Uncommon	§40
	Rhinoceros Beetle		Uncommon	§90
	Stag Beetle		Uncommon	§175
	Spotted Beetle		Rare	§400
	Trilobite		Rare	§950
	Rainbow Beetle		Extraordinarily Unusual	§1400
	Red Assassin Bug	(China)	Rare	§800
	Scarab	(Egypt)	Uncommon	§180
	Cerambyx	(France)	Common	§70
	Termite		Common	§5
	Spider		Common	§15

Fireflies

The Showtime Expansion added a new type of insect to collect: Fireflies.

Icon	Name	Color	Expansion	Rarity	Value
	Albus	White		Common	§10
	Fulvus	Yellow		Common	§10
	Pratinus	Green		Common	§15
	Luteus	Orange		Common	§20
	Caeruleus	Blue		Uncommon	§80
	Ruber	Red		Uncommon	§120
	Roseus	Pink		Rare	§300
	Purpureus	Purple		Rare	§450

Fireflies Spawn between the hours of 8pm and 6am and can spawn at various locations that spawn Butterflies and Beetles during the day.

Challenges

There are two challenges associated with Bug Collecting:

Name	Description
Butterfly Collector	Catch one of each type of butterfly to have an easier time finding beetles and butterflies.
Beetle Collector	Catch one of each type of beetle and your sim will never fail when they catch butterflies and beetles.