How to Get Scorpions on 'Animal Crossing' — and What They're Worth
May 6 2020, Updated 4:17 p.m. ET
The start of May brought bad and good news to bug collectors on Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as it marked the end of tarantulas until the fall. Though tricky to catch, the arachnids fetched a very fine price at Nook's Cranny (and an even better one with Flick). If you managed to make a tarantula island, you could potentially earn a lot of money in one night. But the good news is May also brought scorpions to the game, and they're here in the Northern Hemisphere until October.
When do scorpions come out on 'ACNH'?
Scorpions share many characteristics with tarantulas, including when they come out and wander around. They're nocturnal and only roam between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m. Another thing they share in common with tarantulas is their sting. If you get too close too fast, they will strike and render you unconscious, and your character will wake up on the front porch moments later.
They also tend to be scarce, which is a good thing if you scare easily, but not if you're trying to rack up a ton of bells by rangling and selling them to the Nooklings or to Flick. But there are a couple ways to up your chances...
Like visiting Scorpion Island of making your own.
As players discovered when tarantulas were in season, one of the mystery islands you could encounter using your Nook Miles Tickets is essentially a tarantula island. If it's between the hours of 7 p.m. and 4 a.m., the mini-island at the center of this isle absolutely teems with tarantulas. Well, now that same island will house another deadly arachnid. "Scorpion Island" is just as rare as Tarantula Island, but you can also turn almost any other mystery isle into one that spawns infinite scorpions.
With the exception of three-tiered mountain islands, any mystery isle after 7 p.m. can be transformed into a scorpion island. First, you have to clear the island of all trees, weeds, rocks, and flowers. Rather than uproot the flowers, you must pick them leaving just the stems behind. After cutting down all trees, remove the stumps as well, and eat enough fruit to demolish the rocks completely.
Once the island is a barren wasteland, dump your pockets out onto the beach. You will also need to free the island of any bugs that remain (including mole crickets under the soil). Once that's done, you will have scorpions crawling out from every direction. While it might suck to leave behind all the ore, fruit, and wood you collected, you'll make a ton of money if you can fill your pockets with nothing but scorpions and a bug net for your return.
How much do scorpions sell for on 'ACNH'?
Also like tarantulas, scorpions sell at Nook's Cranny for 8,000 bells, and if Flick comes to your island, he will pay you 12,000 bells apiece. If you were to leave all your tools behind on an island except for your bug net and just fill your pockets with these deadly creatures, you could bring home up to 39 (given you have the full pocket expansion). If Flick is on your island, this means you could sell for a total of $468,000 bells. Do that a few times and your basement expansion will be paid off in no time!
