Bug Catcher

A Bug Catcher (Japanese: むしとりしょうねん Bug Catcher Boy) is a type of Pokémon Trainer that first debuted in the Generation I games. From then, they have appeared in every generation of game so far. They are generally depicted as little boys in hats and carrying nets and what appears to be their lunchboxes, or containers to keep caught bugs in, held by a strap after Generation II. Most Bug Catchers have been considered just hobbyists. Some Bug Catcher move around areas and don't always stay in the the same area daily. Experienced Bug Catchers may become Bug Maniacs.

Bug Catchers are usually one of the first trainer classes encountered during the course of the games' storylines, mostly appearing on earlier routes. In Generation I, Bug Catchers are the first trainer class that the player encounters. They first appear in the Viridian Forest, while the last one is on Route 9. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Bug Catchers appear again on the Sevii Islands, in the Pattern Bush. In Generation II, Bug Catchers appear on Route 30, but they are not the first trainer class seen in the game, and are actually more uncommon in this Generation than any other. In Generation III, there are a few Bug Catchers, appearing between Routes Route 102, through Route 119. The number of Bug Catchers in Generation III surpasses each other generation except the first. In Generation IV, Bug Catchers don't appear until Route 204 after the player defeats the first Gym Leader, unusually late in the game. There are only four Bug Catchers, most of them appearing in the Eterna Forest.

Appearance

Bug Catcher Sprites

Image from Pokémon Red and Blue

Image from Pokémon Gold and Silver

Image from Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire

Image from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Image from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl

Trainer List

Pokémon Gold/Silver

Pokémon Crystal

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Name	Pokémon	Location	Winnings
Bug Catcher Colton	Lv. 10 Weedle + Caterpiex2	Route 3	120
Bug Catcher Greg	Lv. 9 Weedle + Kakuna + Caterpie + Metapod	Route 3	108
Bug Catcher James	Lv. 11 Caterpie + Metapod	Route 3	132

Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald

Pokémon Diamond/Pearl

Name	Location	Pokémon	Winnings
Bug Catcher Brandon	Route 204	lv.7 Kricketot, lv.7 Wurmple lv17 Kricketot, lv.17 Silcoon lv.29 Kricketune, lv.29 Silcoon lv.53 Kricketune, lv.53 Beautifly	84 204 348 636
Bug Catcher Donald	Eterna Forest	lv.12 Burmy, lv.12 Kricketune	???
Bug Catcher Jack	Eterna Forest	lv.9 Wurmple, lv.11 Silcoon, lv.13 Beautifly	???
Bug Catcher Philip	Eterna Forest	lv.9 Wurmple, lv.11 Cascoon, lv.13 Dustox	???

In the anime

Samurai

• Although no main characters directly based on Bug Catchers have appeared in the anime, Ash and Samurai both own bug catching nets. Samurai is a boy appearing as the character of the day who lives in Viridian Forest and dresses up in samurai armor. Like Bug Catchers, he specializes in Bug-type Pokémon and has a bug-catching net. Samurai's sole appearance came in Challenge of the Samurai.

• In The Spheal of Approval, a boy named Marius strongly resembled the Bug Catchers in the game, but did not own any Bug-types.

In other languages

• French: Scout
• German: Käfersammler
• Italian: Pigliamosche
• Korean: 곤충채집 (Gonchungchaejip)
• Spanish: Cazabichos

Trivia

• The first Bug Catchers the player battles from both Kanto in the remakes and Hoenn are both named Rick.
• Many Bug Catchers and Bug Maniacs are named Brandon

This article is part of Project Trainer Class, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Trainer Class in the Pokémon games.