Decorated Cannon Beetle

Decorated Cannon Beetle
Appears in	Pikmin 2
Scientific name	Granitus decorum
Family	Lithopod
Areas	Valley of Repose, Wistful Wild
Caves	Frontier Cavern, Hole of Heroes
Challenge Mode stages	None
2-Player Battle stages	None
Attacks	Crushes Pikmin with magnetic stone

Decorated Cannon Beetles (フタクチミヤビ) are enemies in Pikmin 2. They have an appearance similar to Armored Cannon Beetle Larvae, but are red instead of green, and have orange eyes. Also, this particular species is never found buried in the ground like Armored Cannon Beetle Larvae. They, too, spit out rocks, but their rocks home in on the currently active captain due to the magnetic field which envelops the boulders (which can be used to your advantage however). However, the stones have odd characteristics. First of all, when they are found in caves which are made of metal (which is rusty, indicating it contains iron), the spacesuits are the only thing the boulders home in on. The rocks are also surprisingly frail. If slowed by water, a rock can be destroyed by a punch or a Purple Pikmin. Even though it is called a Cannon Beetle, it is actually a Cannon Beetle larva.

Similar to the Red and Green Koopa Shells from the Mario Kart series, the Decorated Cannon Beetles (which are red) are homing, while the Armored Cannon Beetle Larva (which are green) are not.

Ways to defeat

• Get a rock to follow your current captain and lead it back to the decorated cannon beetle (or any other enemy) and it will die (not always straight away).

Notes

Olimar's Notes

"This creature is the larval form of a cannon beetle variant known for a diet consisting entirely of eating stones. The decorated cannon beetle favors stones with high iron content, which contributes to its brilliant red torso. The stones these creatures launch are wrapped in a powerful magnetic field which causes the stones to stray from their launch trajectory when other objects with high metal content, such as space suits, are nearby. Extreme caution is recommended for explorers wearing steel-plated armor in close proximity to this fearsome creature."

Louie's Notes

"Slice the meat into tender cutlets and vigorously apply a lime and pepper rub. Panfry until lightly crusted. Accompany with watercress and drizzle with freshly prepared tamarind sauce."

Nintendo Player's Guide

"Decorated Cannon Beetles spit rocks that follow their targets, making them more difficult to avoid than the attacks of the Larvae. Run from the boulders and attack the beasts immediately after they discharge their rocks. If you're fast, you can lure the boulders into other enemies or reflect them back at it."

Glitches

Activate the Piklopedia. Select the archive for this creature. Throw Pikpik Carrots at the Beetle, making sure that they land in front and to the side of it. The Beetle will then spit out a rock, which will roll around to hit the Beetle if done correctly. When the rock crashes on the Beetle, the Beetle does not die, no matter how many times this is performed.

In the end of day sequence at the Valley of Repose, a Decorated Cannon Beetle often appears. Sometimes it shoots rocks (which occasionally strike and defeat other enemies), inhale, and walk much faster than normal.

Go to any area that has a Decorated Cannon Beetle. Defeat it, and pause as it makes it first dying sound. When the player pauses, the Beetle makes strange noises that get lower and lower. The same happens with an Armored Cannon Beetle Larva.

Gallery

• 156.png

  A Decorated Cannon Beetle in the Piklopedia.

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  A Decorated Cannon Beetle.

Trivia

• Their scientific name, Granitus decorum, means 'Beautiful Granite'.
• The Decorated Cannon Beetle's boulders act much like the red shells from the Mario Kart series, and they both share the same red coloration. Both the shell and the boulder follow a player. This same similarity applies to the Armored Cannon Beetle Larva and green shells.