TL;DR
- Ants require spoiled turnips as exclusive bait and appear year-round during daylight hours
- Proper turnip separation prevents accidental loss of valuable turnip investments
- Strategic net placement and weather awareness significantly increase catch success rates
- Ants sell for moderate Bells but provide essential museum completion and ant farm decoration
- Failed attempts can be recovered by leaving spoiled turnips undisturbed for ant respawn
Successfully attracting ants to your island demands understanding their unique spawning mechanics. Unlike other insects in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, ants exhibit specific behavioral patterns that require strategic preparation.
These persistent insects maintain year-round availability with continuous daytime spawning windows, making them accessible regardless of season. However, their appearance hinges exclusively on the presence of rotting organic material, creating a controlled environmental trigger.
While many players assume fruits would naturally decay, Animal Crossing: New Horizons mechanics prevent fruit spoilage through natural processes. Turnips serve as the sole exception to this rule, functioning as the only confirmed bait source for ant attraction. This specialized requirement transforms turnip management into a critical gameplay element for completionists.
An ant in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Mastering turnip procurement and preparation forms the foundation of successful ant catching. Begin by purchasing turnips from Daisy Mae during her Sunday morning visits, typically available from 5 AM to 12 PM.
Critical awareness: Daisy Mae exclusively sells turnips in predetermined 10-unit bundles without individual separation options. This packaging constraint means securing ants necessitates sacrificing exactly 10 turnips minimum.
Advanced inventory management becomes essential when handling larger turnip quantities. Turnips stack in 100-unit bundles within your inventory, displaying simply as “10” until detailed inspection reveals the actual “100 turnips” compositionārepresenting ten separate 10-turnip bundles.
Execute precise separation by selecting your 100-turnip stack and choosing “Grab 10” to isolate a single 10-turnip bundle. The original stack will update to “9” while your new bundle shows no numerical indicator, confirming successful isolation.
Strategic placement involves positioning your isolated 10-turnip bundle in an open, easily accessible area. Avoid locations near buildings, cliffs, or water edges that might obstruct ant spawning paths or net swinging clearance.
Once your turnips complete their week-long decomposition process, ant colonies will emerge as distinctive trails transporting turnip fragments to their underground nests. This visual indicator confirms successful bait activation.
Employ strategic net positioning by approaching from the side rather than directly overhead. This angle minimizes detection and provides cleaner swing trajectories. Maintain adequate distance until committing to your capture attempt.
Failed net swings trigger immediate ant dispersal, causing the entire colony to vanish temporarily. Recovery protocol: simply leave the spoiled turnip undisturbed and depart the immediate area. Ants will reliably respawn within 15-30 minutes, allowing multiple attempt opportunities.
Environmental factors significantly impact spawning success. Rainfall creates temporary spawning prevention, requiring patience until weather conditions improve. Consider checking your island’s weather patterns through meteorological tracking methods to optimize catching schedules.
Ants trailing off of a spoiled turnip in New Horizons.
Pro tip: Designate multiple spoiled turnip locations across your island to create ant spawning zones. This distributed approach increases encounter opportunities and reduces waiting periods between respawn cycles.
Beyond completionist satisfaction, ants provide tangible economic benefits. Each captured ant sells for 80 Bells at Nook’s Cranny, representing moderate returns compared to initial turnip investment.
Museum contribution represents the primary value proposition. Donating your first ant to Blathers completes your insect collection display and contributes toward progressive completion milestones that enhance your island’s cultural offerings.
Ant farm acquisition becomes available after successful catches, serving as decorative household items that commemorate your entomological achievements. These unique items cannot be purchased through conventional means.
For players pursuing comprehensive collection strategies, ants represent one of the more accessible rare insects despite their specific spawning requirements. Their consistent year-round availability eliminates seasonal timing pressures common with other species.
Remember: While the 80-Bell selling price seems modest, the true value lies in collection completion and the satisfaction of mastering this unique gameplay mechanic.
Action Checklist
- Purchase turnips from Daisy Mae on Sunday morning (5 AM – 12 PM)
- Separate exactly 10 turnips using ‘Grab 10’ command
- Place isolated turnip bundle in open area and wait 7 days for spoilage
- Approach ant trail from side angle with net ready
- Donate first ant to museum, sell duplicates for 80 Bells each
No reproduction without permissionļ¼SeeYouSoon Game Club » How To Get Ants In Animal Crossing: New Horizons Master the art of catching ants in Animal Crossing: New Horizons with proven turnip rotting strategies and expert tips