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Dave the Diver In the Jungle: Bug and Beetle Catching Guide

Dave the Diver In the Jungle: Bug and Beetle Catching Guide

Every insect, beetle, and bug location in Dave the Diver: In the Jungle, plus how to catch them and win beetle battles.

Written by
Nuwel
Updated
Reading time
5 min
Difficulty
Beginner
How do you unlock bug catching in Dave the Diver: In the Jungle?

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The Insectagram is one of the more satisfying side activities in DAVE THE DIVER: In the Jungle, and it's easy to miss half the entries if you don't know where to look. Bugs spawn across five distinct zones, some only at night or dusk, and beetles require a completely different capture method than regular insects. This guide covers every single entry, where to find it, when it spawns, and exactly how to catch it.

How do you unlock bug catching in Dave the Diver: In the Jungle?

Bug catching opens up through Lipah's Fireflies quest, which triggers naturally after Uzme gives Dave a tour of the village and hands him a map. Speak to Lipah when the exclamation mark appears above her head and she'll ask you to catch 3 fireflies. Since Dave has nothing to catch them with, she hands over the Bug Net right there.

Fireflies are a good introduction because they don't flee when you approach them normally. Most other insects are more skittish. The general rule: sneak up slowly and press X (Xbox) or Square (PlayStation) when the capture prompt appears. Butterflies are the easiest to net. Cicadas, stick insects, and others require more patience.

Lipah gives you the Bug Net

Lipah gives you the Bug Net

How do you unlock beetle battles and the Insectagram?

Beetles can't be caught with a net. To unlock beetle catching, you need to complete The Torn Bug Net quest. Find the beetle with a quest marker on the northern side of the village. When Dave tries to net it, the beetle breaks free and tears the net. Take the torn net to Muna to repair it, and you'll meet Udo, who introduces the Insectagram app and explains how beetle battles work.

Udo gives you a free Lesser Stag Beetle in Chapter 3 to start your collection. He also sells additional beetles from his shop, with a daily purchase limit of 3. You can also buy a jelly from him that heals your beetle immediately after a fight.

For our full breakdown of every new dish you can serve at the jungle restaurant, check the Dave the Diver Into the Jungle all new recipe list.

How do beetle battles work?

Beetle battles are a rock-paper-scissors mini-game where you chip away at the opposing beetle's health. The beetle with the lowest health when the match ends (or if it hits zero) loses. If the wild beetle loses, it gets captured and joins your roster.

Each beetle has a type that determines its strengths:

  • Scissors type: deals extra damage when using the scissors move
  • Rock type: deals extra damage when using the rock move
  • Paper type: heals more HP when using the paper move

The key rule to remember: if both beetles use the same move (rock vs. rock, or scissors vs. scissors), the beetle with the higher damage stat lands the hit. Knowing your beetle's type and the opponent's tendencies is the difference between a clean capture and a drawn-out fight.

Beetle battles use rock-paper-scissors

Beetle battles use rock-paper-scissors

Where are the Sand Dunes in Dave the Diver: In the Jungle?

The Sand Dunes sit just above the beach and are accessed via a ladder. Several beetles spawn exclusively there, so you'll need to climb up to grab them. Surga Falls is a separate late-game area that requires the machete to access. You get there by cutting away the vines near the Sand Dune path.

All normal bug locations

These insects are caught with the Bug Net. Sneak up and capture them when the prompt appears.

InsectLocationSpawn Time
Ulysses SwallowtailSetah ForestAny
Loquinianus SwallowtailSand DunesDay
Gigon SwallowtailSurga Falls (requires machete)Day
Mountain Yellow ButterflyUtara VillageDay
Albina White ButterflyUtara VillageDay
Blanchard's Giant Striped MonarchSetah ForestAny
Blue-Banded Nymph ButterflySetah ForestAny
Three-Lined ButterflySetah Forest, Utara Village, Sand DunesDay
Mulciber Spotted Monarch ButterflySetah ForestAny
Giant Tiger ButterflyUtara VillageDay
Priamus Birdwing ButterflySetah ForestAny
Rajah Brooke's Birdwing ButterflySetah ForestDusk only
MothUtara VillageNight only
Atlas MothSurga Falls (listed as Village, but consistently found at Surga Falls)Night
Takua CicadaUtara Village (resting on a nearby tree)Day
Stick InsectUtara Village (cut down a tree, wait for it to stop moving)Day
Gigas Giant Longhorn BeetleUtara Village (northwest corner near Rimbo's truck)Day
Diving BeetleUtara Village (on the water near the beach)Day
FireflyUtara VillageNight only
SnailUtara VillageDay and Rain
Insectagram tracks every catch

Insectagram tracks every catch

All beetle locations

Beetles require a beetle battle to capture. Remember: you need to complete The Torn Bug Net quest and receive your starter Lesser Stag Beetle from Udo before any of these are catchable.

BeetleLocationNotes
Lesser Stag BeetleUtara VillageGiven free by Udo in Chapter 3
Zebra Stag BeetleUtara VillageDay
Five-Horned Rhinoceros BeetleUtara VillageDay
Siamese Rhinoceros BeetleUtara VillageDay
Striata Stag BeetleSand DunesDay
Gideon BeetleSand DunesDay
Stevens' Stag BeetleSand DunesDay
Rosenberg's Golden Stag BeetleMurau TempleDay, spawn in top right corner (re-enter to force spawn)
Giraffe Stag BeetleSetah ForestAny
Antaeus Stag BeetleMurau TempleDay, spawn in top right corner (re-enter to force spawn)
Femoralis Stag BeetleSetah ForestDay
Metallic Stag BeetleMurau TempleDusk only, spawn in top right corner (re-enter to force spawn)
Atlas Stag BeetleMurau TempleDay, spawn in top right corner (re-enter to force spawn)
Giant Stag BeetleSetah ForestAny
Caucasus BeetleSetah ForestDusk only, near the entrance to Murau Temple
Flamecrest Stag BeetleSetah ForestUnlocked during "A Giant Stag Beetle?" side mission
Golden Tiger BeetleMurau TempleAny

How to farm beetles in Murau Temple

Four beetles (Rosenberg's Golden Stag, Antaeus Stag, Atlas Stag, and Metallic Stag) all spawn in the same spot inside Murau Temple, in the top right corner near the entrance. The Metallic Stag Beetle only appears at dusk, so time your visit accordingly. For the other three, any daytime visit works. The method is straightforward: enter, check the corner, leave if it's not there, repeat. Spawns cycle on each entry, so this doesn't take long.

The Caucasus Beetle in Setah Forest is similarly time-locked to dusk and only appears near the Murau Temple entrance, so if you're already farming the temple beetles at dusk, swing by the forest entrance on your way out.

For a broader look at everything the DLC adds, the Dave the Diver In the Jungle all new fish guide covers every aquatic species by depth zone, which pairs well with the insect hunting once you've got the Insectagram sorted.

What's the fastest way to complete the Insectagram?

Prioritize the time-locked entries first. Miss dusk and you're waiting for the next in-game cycle before you can attempt the Rajah Brooke's Birdwing Butterfly, Metallic Stag Beetle, or Caucasus Beetle again. Night-only entries (Moth, Firefly, Atlas Moth) are in the same boat.

For everything else, work through zones in order: clear Utara Village during the day, then hit the Sand Dunes, then Setah Forest. Save Surga Falls for after you've unlocked the machete. The Murau Temple beetles can be farmed in a single focused session once you're far enough into the story.

The Flamecrest Stag Beetle is the only entry tied to a specific side mission, "A Giant Stag Beetle?", so keep an eye out for that quest marker as you progress.

For everything else the In the Jungle DLC has to offer, the full DAVE THE DIVER guides collection has you covered across fish, recipes, villager gifts, and more.

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