Twilight Princess Golden Bug Locations and Guides
In Zelda the Twilight Princess one of the major sidequests available in the game requires you to collect Golden Bugs. These are then exchanged with Agitha in Castle Town for upgrades to your Wallet size as well as Rupee rewards. The first bug you turn in is generally worth 50 Rupees and the second one of the same type but different sex is worth 100.
Also the more important prizes come after turning in your very first bug and again after turning in all 24 bugs. After the first bug you'll be rewarded with a Big Wallet which can carry a total of 600 Rupees. Once you collect all 24 bugs in the game Agitha will give you the Giant Wallet which can hold 1000 Rupees!
Agitha is found in the southern portion of Castle Town, if you were heading towards Telma's Bar - going in the opposite direction will take you to Agitha's house. If you need help finding it just use my map for some guidance.
You won't be able to speak to Agitha and begin this side quest until you lift the Twilight that is engulfing Castle Town. To give you an idea of what point in the game that is, it's just before you enter Lakebed Temple is when you'll be able to first meet Agitha.
Before we jump into the guide there is some general knowledge you should know about hunting Golden Bugs in Twilight Princess. The tips I have for you involving bug hunting can be found below separated into an easier to read format.
- Golden Bugs aren't always in the location shown in my screen shots - they have a tendancy to fly around in a small area around where they're found.. So look around!
- Hey, look, listen! Navi taught us those skills for a reason ~ listen closely and you'll hear a unique sound when a Golden Bug is near; similar to those pesky Gold Skulltulas we had to catch in a previous life.
That's all there is to it - you're now ready to go bug hunting! Below you can find guides for each of the 24 different bugs for you to collect with maps, pictures and walkthroughs for each one. The last thing to keep in mind is that these screen shots were taken on the Gamecube version of the game meaning Wii players will have a reversed map.
Golden Beetles
These are the first Golden Bugs that you're able to get your hands on in the game. You can find these guys just north of Faron Woods in the first section of Hyrule Field you come across. The Female is in the northern portion and the Male is in the southern portion - both can be found on trees.
Golden Ants
Both of the Golden Ants are found in Kakariko Village which is located in the Eldin Province of Hyrule. The Female can be found in the center of town inside of a building and the Male is found in the Kakariko Graveyard. You can collect these bugs right after you lift the Darkness that's covering the Eldin Province.
Golden Grasshoppers
The two Golden Grasshoppers you can find in the game are in the portion of Hyrule Field to the north of Kakariko Village. It's the same place you had to chase around a ... worg-back Orc to save the heroic little kid earlier in the game. The Male Golden Grasshopper is found just north of Kakariko Village and the Female is found on the cusp of Hyrule Field and Castle Town.
Golden Phasmids
The Male Golden Phasmid is found in the portion of Hyrule Field just north of Kakariko Village located in the Eldin Province. Both the Male and Female Phasmids are found near the bridge of Eldin, the same location the final showdown with that Orc took place.
Golden Pill Bugs
The Golden Pill Bugs are found in Kakariko Gorge. The Female is found at the southern end of the gorge that's connected to Kakariko Village. The Male is found immediately after crossing the bridge leading to the Faron Province (coming from Kakariko Village).
Golden Butterflies
The Butterflies are found either East or West from Castle Town depending on if you're Wii or Gamecube. The Female Butterfly is found on a ledge next to the mouth of the pass leading to Lake Hylia. The Male Butterfly is found to the south nearby the start of the pass leading to the "overlook" type area of Lake Hylia.
Golden Dragonflies
The Golden Dragonflies are both found in, no surprise, the most northern portion of Hyrule where the Zoras are. The Male is found in Zora's Domain along the same path we had to traverse when we came here as a wolf. The Female is found in Zora's River, a bit down stream from the Male. She flies around Iza's Rapid Ride shop.
Golden Ladybugs
The Ladybugs are both found south of Castle Town. The Female is found just outside of the southern Castle Town exit and the Male is found flying around a raised piece of land nearby with a TON of enemies around it. Both of these have a tendancy to fly around their respective areas but the only hard one to grab is the Male because of all the enemies.
Golden Mantis'
The Golden Mantis' can be found on and nearby the Great Bridge of Hylia which covers Lake Hylia. The Male is found on one of the archways on the northern portion of the bridge and the Female can be found in the pass that leads south from the bridge back to Hyrule Field.
Golden Stag Beetles
The Golden Stag Beetles are found in the Lanayru Province of Hyrule Field which is north of Castle Town. The Male is found on a tree nearby the bridge that runs through the area. The Female is found on one of the smaller cliff sides to the north near a destructible boulder which leads to a cave that contains a piece of heart.
Golden Snails
The Golden Snails are found within the Sacred Grove and the Temple of Time. You can acquire the Male the first time through the Sacred Grove but you won't be able to grab the Female until after you beat Snowpeak Ruins and open up the Temple of Time. Making her the last possible bug you can find in the game.
Golden Dayflies
The Golden Dayflies are both found within the southern portion of the Gerudo Desert. The Male is found in the central southern desert while the female is found a tad closer to the Cave of Ordeals warp point than the male. Both of them are extremely easy to find and unless it's day out you should be able to spot them from a solid distance away.
There you have it! All 24 bugs with detailed walkthroughs and detailed pictures of their map locations. Once you've finished the collection return to Agitha and give her all the bugs you've found. If you're currently maxed out on Rupees I recommend you donate them to the man in castle town for a piece of heart. <Link for piece of heart castle town guide>
Or you can also spend the Rupees on the Malo Mart/Magic Armor side quest (It's another 1000 Rupee sink for a piece of heart). The choice is up to you but it's best not to just let the Rupees she gives you go to waste! <MAgic armor/malo mart links>
Turning in all 24 bugs will net you the maximum sized wallet you can get for the Gamecube version of the game (as well as I think most Wii versions of the game)! Apparently those playing the Wii HD remake are able to use an amiibo and expand their wallet further but I don't know anything about this.
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