Caterpie (Pokémon)
From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
| Caterpie キャタピー Caterpie | |
 Artwork from FR/LG | |
| Type | Bug |
|---|---|
| Species | Worm Pokémon |
| National Dex | #010 |
| Johto Dex | #024 |
| Hoenn Dex | #212 |
| Sinnoh Dex | #— |
| Fiore Browser | R— |
| Almia Browser | R— |
| Height | 1′00″ (0.3m) |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs. (2.9kg) |
| Ability | Shield Dust |
| Egg group | Bug |
| Time to hatch | 3,840 steps |
| Effort yield | 1 HP |
| Exp. yield | 53 base exp. |
| Lv100 at | 1,000,000 exp. |
| Gender | 50% ♀ / 50% ♂ |
| Pokédex color | Green |
| Catch rate | 255 |
| Body style | 
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Caterpie (Japanese: キャタピー Caterpie) is a Bug-type Pokémon.
Caterpie comes with the ability Shield Dust.
Caterpie evolves via level, into Metapod starting at Level 7, then into Butterfree starting at Level 10.
Contents |
Biology
Physiology
Caterpie resembles a green caterpillar with yellow ring-shaped markings down its body. Its most notable characteristic is the bright orange antennae on its head. These and the large eye-shaped markings help to startle predators. It shares many characteristics with other larval Pokémon such as Wurmple and Weedle, suggesting that their evolutionary lines are closely related.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
The antennae on its head will omit a terrible stench from it if the Caterpie is frightened or if the antennae are touched. This serves as an effective protective mechanism against most predators. Its feet are tipped with suction cups, permitting this Pokémon to scale most surfaces with minimal effort. It can also spit a string from its mouth in order to entangle foes.
Behavior
Caterpie grow very quickly, and need to eat voraciously in order to meet their energy requirements. They have various adaptations which permit them to safely devour plant material, including an antennae that releases a horrible smell. It will shed its skin many times before finally cocooning itself in thick silk. While some Trainers are disgusted by the idea of Bug-type Pokémon, they are ideal targets for new Trainers as they are fairly weak in the wild and evolve into their final forms at a low level.
Habitat
Caterpie can often be found in wooded areas, such as Viridian Forest.
Diet
- Main article: Pokémon food
Caterpie primarily feed on vegetation, such as tree leaves. According to Pokémon Special, its favorite food is the Vermilion flower.
In the anime
Ash Ketchum had a Caterpie he caught in Ash Catches a Pokémon! that evolved into Metapod in the same episode and then Butterfree the following episode.
A Caterpie that belonged to a young trainer named Zander ate some of Dr. Gordon's enhanced Rare Candies and turned giant. Zander's Caterpie eventually evolved into a Mothra-sized Butterfree.
In the manga
In Pokémon Get da ze!, Shuu has a Caterpie that he uses in various creative ways, mostly involving strange uses of its String Shot.
In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ginji's Rescue Team, a Caterpie was attacked by an Ariados. Ginji had to save the Caterpie from harm.
Pokémon Special
Caterpie's first appearance is a cameo in Bulbasaur, Come Home! as one of the Pokémon that escapes from Professor Oak's Laboratory. It also makes a cameo in The Secret of Kangaskhan.
Yellow had a Caterpie named Kitty, which she did not want to evolve. However, in the battle against Lance, she did not have her Pokédex, which she needed to stop her Pokémon from evolving, and so Caterpie evolved into Metapod and then into Butterfree right afterwards.
In the TCG
- Main article: Caterpie (TCG)
Game data
NPC appearances
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Caterpie is rescued in the first mission of the game. It is too young to be of any help to the rescue team but remains a strong fan throughout the game, even in its darkest hour.
Pokédex entries
| Gen | Game | Pokédex entry |
|---|---|---|
| I | Red | Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls. |
| Blue | ||
| Yellow | If you touch the feeler on top of its head, it will release a horrible stink to protect itself. | |
| Stadium | It has large, eye-like patterns on its head as protection. They are used to frighten off enemies. | |
| II | Gold | For protection, it releases a horrible stench from the antennae on its head to drive away enemies. |
| Silver | Its feet have suction cups designed to stick to any surface. It tenaciously climbs trees to forage. | |
| Crystal | It crawls into foliage where it camouflages itself among leaves that are the same color as its body. | |
| Stadium 2 | For protection, it releases a horrible stench from the antennae on its head to drive away enemies. | |
| III | Ruby | Caterpie has a voracious appetite. It can devour leaves bigger than its body right before your eyes. From its antenna, this Pokémon releases a terrifically strong odor. |
| Sapphire | Caterpie has a voracious appetite. It can devour leaves bigger than its body right before your eyes. From its antenna, this Pokémon releases a terrifically strong odor. | |
| Emerald | Its voracious appetite compels it to devour leaves bigger than itself without hesitation. It releases a terribly strong odor from its antennae. | |
| FireRed | It is covered with a green skin. When it grows, it sheds the skin, covers itself with silk, and becomes a cocoon. | |
| LeafGreen | Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls. | |
| IV | Diamond | It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly. |
| Pearl | It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly. |
Alternate Games
- Pokémon Pinball, Pokémon Trading Card Game (Base Set, Base Set 2, Legendary Collection)
- Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls.
- Pokémon Trading Card Game (Team Rocket)
- For protection, it releases a horrible stench from the antennae on its head to drive away enemies.
Game locations
| Gen | Game | Rarity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Pokémon Red and Blue | Red: Uncommon Blue: Common | Red: Route 25, Viridian Forest Blue: Routes 2, 24, and 25, Viridian Forest |
| Pokémon Yellow | Common | Viridian Forest | |
| II | Pokémon Gold and Silver | Gold: Common Silver: Uncommon | Gold: Routes 2, 30, and 31, Ilex Forest, National Park and Headbutt trees Silver: National Park during the Bug-Catching Contest |
| Pokémon Crystal | Common | Routes 2, 24, 25, 30, and 31, Ilex Forest, National Park | |
| III | Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire | None | Trade |
| Pokémon Emerald | None | Trade | |
| Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen | Common | Routes 2, 24, and 25, Viridian Forest, Pattern Bush | |
| Pokémon Colosseum | None | Trade | |
| Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness | None | Trade | |
| IV | Pokémon Diamond and Pearl | Uncommon | Route 204 (dongle method: FireRed) |
| Pal Park | Forest |
In side games
| Game | Location |
|---|---|
| Pokémon Channel | Viridian Forest |
| Pokémon Trozei | Phobos Train Endless Level 9 Trozei Battle Mr. Who's Den |
| Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (Red and Blue) | Wish Cave (2F-4F) |
| Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (Time and Darkness) | Apple Woods (1F-4F) Oran Forest (1F-4F) |
Base stats
| HP: | 45 | |
|---|---|---|
| Attack: | 30 | |
| Defense: | 35 | |
| Special: | 20 | |
| SpAtk: | 20 | |
| SpDef: | 20 | |
| Speed: | 45 |
The Special stat was used only in Generation I; it was later split into Special Attack and Special Defense.
Type effectiveness
| Weakness | Resistance | |
|---|---|---|
In Generation I, the effectiveness of Poison-type moves is 2×.
Learnset
Caterpie is capable of learning the following moves.
Moves in bold are damage moves to which STAB apply.
By leveling up
| Generation IV Other generation learnsets: I - II - III | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Contest | Appeal |
| Start | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 35 | 95% | 35 | Tough | 3 ♥♥♥ |
| Start | String Shot | Bug | Status | — | 95% | 40 | Smart | 2 ♥♥ |
| Bold indicates a move that gets STAB Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only from an evolution of this Pokémon | ||||||||
By TM/HM
None
By breeding
None
TCG-only Moves
Side game data
| Pokémon Pinball | ||
|---|---|---|
| Acquisition: Catch | 
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| Pokémon Trozei! | ||
| Rarity: Common |
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| Pokémon Mystery Dungeon | ||
| Body size: 1 | Recruit Rate: 10.2% | Friend Area: Mist-Rise Forest |
| Phrases | ||
| 51%-100% HP | I'll eat lots and grow big. | |
| 26%-50% HP | This is so hard... My health is down to half. | |
| 1%-25% HP | I can't keep up... I can't spit silk anymore... | |
| Level Up | I leveled up! Happy!
| |
Evolution
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Basic
Caterpie
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Sprites
| Gen | Game | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Red | Blue | Yellow | Red (Ja) | Green | Back | |
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| II | Gold | Silver | Crystal | Back | |||
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| III | Ruby | Sapphire | Emerald | FireRed | LeafGreen | Back | |
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| Image:Spr 3e 010 s.gif | 
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| IV | Diamond | Pearl | Platinum | Back | |||
| Image:Spr 4p 010.png | 
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| Image:Spr 4p 010 s.png | 
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For other sprites and images, please see Caterpie images on Bulbagarden Archives.Trivia
- Caterpie was the first Pokémon to be seen evolving in the anime.
- A common mistake involving Caterpie is that people believe it to be the smallest Pokémon, though there are several Pokémon shorter than its one-foot stature.
- Caterpie is the first Bug Pokémon in National Dex order.
- Caterpie has the same in-game cry as Goldeen.
- Caterpie shares the same species name with Wurmple. They are both known as the Worm Pokémon.
Origin
Caterpie is a stylized caterpillar, most likely resembling a Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar.
Name origin
Caterpie's name is a corruption of caterpillar.
In other languages
- German: Raupy
- French: Chenipan - Chenille means caterpillar, and pan means trail. It is a pun on the word chenapan, meaning rascal.
- Korean: 캐터피 Kaeteopi - Corruption of caterpillar.
- Chinese (Taiwan): 綠毛蟲 Lú Máo Chóng - "Green caterpillar" or, literally, "green furry worm".
- Chinese (Hong Kong): 綠毛蟲 Lú Máo Zhu - Green caterpillar
Related articles
External links
| This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon as a species. |
