Swooping Snitchbug In-game icon.
A render of a Swooping Snitchbug from Pikmin 4.
Appears in PikminPikmin 2Pikmin 3Pikmin 4Hey! Pikmin
Scientific name Scarpanica kesperens
Family Scarpanid
Areas The Forest of Hope, The Distant Spring, Perplexing Pool, Wistful Wild, Tropical Wilds, Distant Tundra, Formidable Oak, Blossoming Arcadia (Story Mode and Olimar's Shipwreck Tale), Olimar's Madcap Ride
Caves Subterranean Complex, Frontier Cavern, Snagret Hole, Citadel of Spiders, Cavern of Chaos, Hole of Heroes, Subterranean Swarm
Challenge Mode stages Abduction Den
Mission Mode Collect Treasure! stages Twilight Hollow, Twilight Hollow Remix, The Rustyard
Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages Tropical Forest, Tropical Wilds Remix, Garden of Hope Remix, Distant Tundra Remix, Clockwork Chasm
Side Story days Creature Hunting, Land, Sea, and Sky, Looking for Louie, Another Part Found
Dandori Challenge stages Aerial Incinerator
Dandori Battle stages None
2-Player Battle stages None
Bingo Battle stages Stagnant Sea
Attacks Pikmin (game):  Kidnap and throw Pikmin
Pikmin 2:  Kidnap and throw Pikmin
Pikmin 3:  Kidnap and throw Pikmin and leaders
Pikmin 4:  Kidnap and throw Pikmin and leaders
Hey! Pikmin:  Kidnap Pikmin and drag them off screen

The Swooping Snitchbug (サライムシ?, lit.: "Kidnapping Bug") is a enemy found in the main four Pikmin games and Hey! Pikmin. Swooping Snitchbugs are legless, round, flying insects that have evolved wing-like antennae as a means of locomotion. They swoop down, as their name suggests, and grab their prey with their claws – a maximum of two at once. After carrying them for a few seconds, they violently throw them towards the ground. This action would harm most prey, whereas Pikmin are simply replanted and reverted to their original leaf stage in the first two games (in Pikmin 3, their maturity remains the same). They are also able to pick up the leaders in Pikmin 3, much like Bumbling Snitchbugs do in Pikmin 2 – if they don't escape, they will be tossed to the ground and damaged.

These creatures will plummet to the ground if weighed down by a sufficient number of Pikmin, or with a single Purple Pikmin in Pikmin 2 or a single Rock Pikmin in Pikmin 3. This renders it susceptible to further attack. Ultra-bitter sprays may also be used to freeze it in mid-air, causing it to drop to the ground, which is arguably easier, but of course produces no corpse, and may be considered a waste of sprays.

Should the enemy throw a Yellow Pikmin that is holding a bomb-rock in Pikmin, the bomb-rock will explode, killing the Yellow Pikmin, all Pikmin caught in the blast, and likely itself, too. In Pikmin 3, it will carry the bomb rock and not the Pikmin, and throwing the bomb-rock merely activates it instead of causing an immediate explosion. Although the creature is not as interested in killing Pikmin as much as it is chucking them, it may end up throwing a Pikmin at a hazard.

In Pikmin, it can and will grab Pikmin from the leader's hand, if the captain is holding on to it before throwing, but in Pikmin 2, it will ignore any held Pikmin; it can still steal it from the hand if it began swooping prior to the grab, however. In Pikmin 3, every time it dives, it randomly chooses to catch Pikmin or leaders, and if it chooses the former, it will never succeed in grabbing a held Pikmin. If it snatches two Pikmin in a single dive, the way it throws them will also differ between games – in Pikmin, it will throw one Pikmin first, fly around some more, and then throw the second one, but in Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3, it will throw both of them at once. In Hey! Pikmin, they will attempt to swoop straight down, grab Pikmin, and fly back up without coming back again, counting as a death to the player's Pikmin. They are incredibly rare in this game, as only a few appear, in Olimar's Madcap Ride.

In Pikmin, it only appears in The Forest of Hope on day 15 and forward, and in The Distant Spring on day 5 and forward.

StatsEdit

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Hey! Pikmin.
Particularly: Find out its health value by looking into the game files.

Game Weight Max.
carriers
Seeds Value Health Regen.
  3 6 4 N/A 2000 Unknown
  3 6 4   × 4 1500 No
  (?) 3 6 (normally) 4   × 30
  × 30
1000[note 1] No
  3 6 4   × 3 1000 No
  N/A N/A N/A   × 0 No
  1. ^ In the Garden of Hope Remix, its HP is 500.

AppearanceEdit

In Pikmin, they have a brown body with a green moss like tint on some parts and green lines in between the parts of their "exoskeleton". They also have a golden head with antennae that go from yellow to orange. In this game they have more fluid flight movement, tilting when turning.

In Pikmin 2, the green tint is removed with the green lines also being less noticeable, and the head is also now also a pale green and the antennae now go from green to yellow to orange.

In Pikmin 3, the creature is now a light yellowish green with a texture not too dissimilar to the exoskeleton of some beetles. Their antennae have also changed to a yellow to brown gradient. They also gained more realistic compound eyes compared to the glass-like eyes with pupils from Pikmin and Pikmin 2. They also will attempt to crawl away when swarmed by Pikmin on the ground.

In Hey! Pikmin, the body is now a much darker green with the head and arms being a pale yellow and their lower arms also now resemble the Bumbling Snitchbug's arms in shape, their antennae have once again changed color to orange to a dark maroonish red, and they also return to having the less realistic eyes from Pikmin and Pikmin 2 but are missing the red to yellow gradient that they have in every other game.

Notes

Reel notes

This rare species uses its antennae as wings.

Olimar's notes

The scarpanids originally lived on the ground, sporting poorly developed vestigial wings. This species developed enlarged antennae that can be used as makeshift wings. Scarpanids are attracted by the sight of large groups of Pikmin in cavalry formation and will swoop down to seize them. However, scarpanids do not eat Pikmin, and they will drop any seized Pikmin after a short time. The reason for this behavior is unknown, but I look forward to future research in the area.

Louie's notes

Remove the wings, marinate a well-marbled steak for several hours in a chipotle marinade, then charbroil to perfection.

Alph's comments

Structural flaw: weak hide
Weight: 3

It's well built to do what it does, which is to capture wandering Pikmin and slam them into the ground. But why does it do that? Form without function isn't very good design in my book. I like to turn the tables and load them down with so many Pikmin they're too heavy to fly. What goes around comes around.

Brittany's comments

They're annoying, but I also feel a connection to these huge flying insects. Just like me, they like to bury things in the ground. And just like me, they wander off, forgetting about the seed until someone else comes along to harvest it.

Charlie's comments

I could go into my strategies for taking out these things, but...eh, why bother? They're nuisances, not threats. Plucking buried Pikmin is a relaxing activity that gives me time to consider how to tackle critters that can do serious damage.

Louie's comments

Remove the wings, marinate a well-marbled steak for several hours in a chipotle marinade, then charbroil to perfection.

Olimar's comments

  US version

Swooping Snitchbug
Scarpanica kesperens
Scarpanid family

The scarpanids originally lived on the ground, sporting poorly developed vestigial wings. This species developed enlarged antennae that can be used as makeshift wings. Scarpanids are attracted by the sight of large groups of Pikmin in cavalry formation and will swoop down to seize them. However, scarpanids do not eat Pikmin, and they will drop any seized Pikmin after a short time. The reason for this behavior is unknown, but I look forward to future research in the area.
  European version

Swooping Snitchbug
Scarpanica kesperens
Scarpanid family

The scarpanids originally lived on the ground, sporting poorly developed vestigial wings. This species developed enlarged antennae that can be used as makeshift wings. Scarpanids are attracted by the sight of large groups of Pikmin in cavalry formation and will swoop down to seize them. However, scarpanids do not eat Pikmin, and they will drop any seized Pikmin after a short time. The reason for this behaviour is unknown, but I look forward to future research in the area.

Hey! Pikmin logs

Their atrophied wings force them to spend most of their time on land, but they do fly on occasion to steal Pikmin.

Dalmo's notesEdit

If you were swept up and then tossed away by those long dangling arms, I think you'd better understand what it feels like to be a Pikmin. A little courage is all you need to give it a try. Consider it a learning experience!

Olimar's notes (Pikmin 4)Edit

The Scarpanids originally lived on the ground, sporting poorly developed vestigial wings. This species developed enlarged antennae that can be used as makeshift wings.

Scarpanids are attracted by the sight of large groups of Pikmin in cavalry formation and will swoop down to seize them. However, Scarpanids do not eat Pikmin, and they will drop any seized Pikmin after a short time.

The reason for this behavior is unknown, but I look forward to future research in the area.

Louie's notes (Pikmin 4)Edit

Remove the wings, marinate a well- marbled steak for several hours in a chipotle marinade, then charbroil to perfection.

Pikmin Nintendo Player's GuideEdit

The scarpanids originally lived on the ground with poorly developed vestigial wings. This species developed enlarged antennae that can be used as functioning wings. Scarpanids are attracted by the sight of large groups of Pikmin in cavalry formation and will swoop down to seize them. However, scarpanids do not eat Pikmin, and they will drop any seized Pikmin after a short time. The reason for this activity is as yet unknown, but I look forward to future research in the area.

The annoying swooping snitchbug will appear in the Forest of Hope (between Days 15 and 30) and the Distant Spring. In both regions, the bug will snatch up Pikmin and replant them. If a swooping snitchbug flies by, force it to land by tossing Pikmin at it. When it comes crashing down, surround it with Pikmin.

Pikmin Nintendo Power bookletEdit

The annoying snitchbug loves to swoop down from the sky and snatch up unsuspecting Pikmin. Instead of eating them, the bug mysteriously replants the Pikmin in inconvenient locations.

Pikmin 2 Nintendo Player's GuideEdit

Much like the Mamuta, the Swooping Snitchbug does not defeat Pikmin; it pummels them into the ground. The creature grabs two Pikmin at a time and throws them with tremendous force. Knock it down with a few tosses, then swarm it.

New Play Control! Pikmin European websiteEdit

The two-armed flying pest follows your posse, swoops down, grabs two unsuspecting Pikmin and then plants them back into the ground. This bug must be dealt with immediately, knocking it out of the sky and then swarming it until it says good-bye.

Pikmin 3 Prima GuideEdit

A Swooping Snitchbug attacks by snatching its enemies and throwing them to the ground. when a Swooping Snitchbug does this to a Pikmin, the force is enough to bury its victim – this essentially causes the Pikmin to revert to a sprout.

When you encounter a Swooping Snitchbug, use your Winged Pikmin to attack the creature until it falls to the ground, then use your squad to finish the vulnerable enemy. If you don't have any Winged Pikmin, just wait for the Swooping Snitchbug to stop moving before you attack with whatever Pikmin are available.

Pikmin GardenEdit

Text

大きな触角で空を飛び、ピクミンを連れ去る虫。体の表面は薄い層がたくさん重なっていて、光を複雑に反射し緑色に輝く構造色となっている。

特徴 その1 さらう

大きく発達した触角を羽ばたかせて飛行し、上空から襲いかかってピクミンをさらっていく。
(Image text:
  • 肥大化した触角
  • 鋭い爪に引っかける)

特徴 その2 地面に埋める

さらったピクミンは、食べずに投げ捨てる。一説では、花を咲かせて、そのミツを吸うためと考えられている。
(Image text: ピクミンは地面に埋まる)

Translation

A bug that flies through the air with large antennae and takes Pikmin away. The surface of its body is made up of many thin layers overlaid on top of each other, intricately reflecting light and giving it a shining green iridescence.

Feature #1: Snatching

It flies by flapping its large, well-developed antennae, and swoops down from the air to snatch up Pikmin.
(Image text:
  • "Enlarged antennae"
  • "It catches with sharp claws")

Feature #2: Burying in the ground

Snatched Pikmin are thrown away without being eaten. One theory is that it makes the flowers bloom and feeds on their nectar.
(Image text: "Pikmin are buried in the ground")

StrategyEdit

The following article or section contains guides.
The strategies shown are just suggestions.

PikminEdit

These creatures can easily be brought to the ground by weighing it down with five or so Pikmin. Yellows are the best option to weigh it down, because their high reach makes it easier to hit it. Afterwards, a simple swarm can defeat it. If the Snitchbug captures a Yellow Pikmin holding a bomb, it will explode while it is in the air. Oddly, by whistling at the Pikmin while it's coming down after being thrown by the creature, there is a chance that the Pikmin will simply react to the whistle and join Olimar's group like normal, instead of being buried.

Pikmin 2Edit

The same strategy from Pikmin can be applied here. Alternatively, throwing a single Purple Pikmin onto it will weigh it down right away. Be warned, as on sublevels with abysses, the Snitchbug can throw Pikmin down the pit. The Snitchbug is much less of a threat in this game, even less so if one has a Pluckaphone. Though one could leave at least one Purple to deal with them, it is advised to not do so on metallic sublevels, as there are often bombs on those sublevels.

Pikmin 3Edit

In Pikmin 3, like in all of the other games, around 5 Pikmin are able to weigh the Swooping Snitchbug down, making it easy to defeat. It's recommended to use Yellow Pikmin to weigh it down, as their throwing height ensures it will land on the Swooping Snitchbug, and the Snitchbug can fly higher in this game. If you have a reasonable amount of Winged Pikmin, swarming it will be sure to weigh it down. A direct hit from a Rock Pikmin will bring the Swooping Snitchbug down too, similar to how throwing one Purple Pikmin on it will weigh it down in Pikmin 2.

Pikmin 4Edit

 

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The same strategies from all three games can be applied here. Additionally, if a Swooping Snitchbug grabs at least one Purple Pikmin, it will lift them up before immediately collapsing on the ground; the same thing happens if the player had knocked it out of the air mid-combat.

GlitchesEdit

To do: Add to the glitches article.
Care to do so?

There is a rare glitch in Pikmin: once you've knocked the Swooping Snitchbug down to the ground, throw your Pikmin onto the creature and swarm it with all of the other Pikmin, which should kill it. Then, carry it back to the Onions by swarming the corpse. Later, you will notice the Pikmin you threw on the squirming Swooping Snitchbug are floating in the air, making the attacking motion as if they are attacking something invisible.

In Pikmin 2, the probability that a Snitchbug will shake off Pikmin increases with the number of Pikmin that are latched onto it. This is likely unintended, as this results in Snitchbugs being harder to take down as more Pikmin are latched onto it, which is counterintuitive. Additionally, in Pikmin this mechanic works in reverse, where the probability for a snitchbug to shake decreases with the number of Pikmin on it, which further implies its implementation in Pikmin 2 was done incorrectly and was changed unintentioanlly.

A second glitch in Pikmin 2 relates to when a Snitchbug grabs a Purple Pikmin. If a Pikmin of any type is thrown onto the Snitchbug while it is still holding a Purple Pikmin, the game will treat the incoming Pikmin as a Purple Pikmin and cause the Snitchbug to guarantee falling down to the ground instead of shaking. This is because the game cannot distinguish between Pikmin attacking the Snitchbug and ones it has in its hand when checking if a Purple Pikmin is latched on.

In the Super Smash Bros. seriesEdit

The creature appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Brawl trophyEdit

  Description:

A member of the scarpanid family. Although originally a ground dweller, its oversized antennae developed into wings, allowing it to fly around freely. The snitchbug doesn't eat Pikmin, but rather picks them up, carries them away, and firmly replants them in another location.

  Pikmin
  Pikmin 2
How to obtain: Random appearance. Type: Fighter Related

Smash 4 trophyEdit

    US description:

A strange flying insectoid creature from the Pikmin series. Much like a fly rubbing its legs together, the Swooping Snitchbug has a habit of rubbing its hands. When it swoops down and snatches Pikmin from the ground, it doesn't eat them. Instead, it discards them after a few seconds. Why? Who knows?! Who cares?! They're free!
Appears in:

  Pikmin (12/2001)
  Pikmin 2 (08/2004)
  EU description:

A strange flying insectoid creature from the Pikmin series. Much like a fly rubbing its legs together, the Swooping Snitchbug has a habit of rubbing its hands. When it swoops down and snatches Pikmin from the ground, it doesn't eat them. Instead, it just throws them back to the ground after a few seconds. Why? Who knows?!
Related Games

  Pikmin (06/2002)
  Pikmin 2 (10/2004)
How to obtain: Random appearance. Type: Series Related Trophy Box: 61. Distant Planet & Indigenous Creatures

Technical informationEdit

Pikmin technical information (?)
Internal name napkid
HP 2000
Pikmin 2 technical information (?)
Internal name sarai
Global properties (List)
ID Japanese comment Property Value
s000 friction(not used) Friction 0.5
s001 wallReflection Unknown (wall bounce speed multiplier?) 0.5
s002 faceDirAdjust Unknown 0.25
s003 accel Acceleration 0.1
s004 bounceFactor Unknown (bounce when it hits the ground?) 0.3
fp00 ライフ HP 1500
fp01 マップとの当り Unknown (related to slopes) 17.5
fp02 ダメージスケールXZ Horizontal damage scale 0.2
fp03 ダメージスケールY Vertical damage scale 0.25
fp04 ダメージフレーム Damage scale duration 0.35
fp05 質量 Unknown (weight?) 0.01
fp06 速度 Move speed 80
fp08 回転速度率 Rotation acceleration 0.1
fp09 テリトリー Territory radius 300
fp10 ホーム範囲 "Home" radius 200
fp11 プライベート距離 "Private" radius 50
fp12 視界距離 Sight radius 200
fp13 視界角度 FOV 90
fp14 探索距離 Unknown (exploration radius?) 200
fp15 探索角度 Unknown (exploration angle?) 120
fp16 振り払い率 Successful shake rate 1
fp17 振り払い力 Shake knockback 80
fp18 振り払いダメージ Shake damage 1
fp19 振り払い範囲 Shake range 120
fp20 攻撃可能範囲 Unknown (shock attack max range?) 70
fp21 攻撃可能角度 Unknown (shock attack max angle?) 15
fp22 攻撃ヒット範囲 Unknown (attack hit range?) 70
fp23 攻撃ヒット角度 Unknown (attack hit angle?) 15
fp24 攻撃力 Attack damage 10
fp25 視界高 Unknown (height visibility?) 50
fp26 探索高 Unknown (exploration height?) 50
fp27 ライフの高さ HP wheel height 50
fp28 回転最大速度 Rotation speed 10
fp29 警戒時間 Unknown (warning time?) 15
fp30 警戒ライフ Unknown 100
fp31 ライフ回復率 Regeneration rate 0
fp32 LOD半径 Off-camera radius 60
fp33 マップとのあたりポリゴンの選定 Collision processing radius 35
fp34 ピクミンとのあたり Pikmin damage radius 15
fp35 石化時間 Petrification duration 1
fp36 ヒップドロップダメージ Purple Pikmin drop damage 50
fp37 地震気絶確立 Purple Pikmin stun chance 0.3 (30%)
fp38 地震気絶時間 Purple Pikmin stun time 5
ip01 振り払い打撃A Shake mode 1 – hit count 5
ip02 振り払い張付1 Shake mode 1 – Pikmin requirement 3
ip03 振り払い打撃B Shake mode 2 – hit count 10
ip04 振り払い張付2 Shake mode 2 – Pikmin requirement 8
ip05 振り払い打撃C Shake mode 3 – hit count 15
ip06 振り払い張付3 Shake mode 3 – Pikmin requirement 15
ip07 振り払い打撃D Shake mode 4 – hit count 20
Specific properties
ID Japanese comment Property Value
fp01 通常飛行高さ Normal flight height 85
fp02 掴み飛行高さ Flight height while holding Pikmin 70
fp03 状態遷移高さ Unknown 50
fp04 通常移動速度 Normal movement speed 80
fp05 掴み移動速度 Movement speed while holding Pikmin 70
fp06 ウェイト時間 Duration it idles while patrolling 3
fp11 上昇係数(0) Unknown 4
fp12 上昇係数(5) Unknown 3.5
fp21 振払確率(1) Chance Snitchbug shakes Pikmin off when no Pikmin are latched on 0.3
fp22 振払確率(5) Chance Snitchbug shakes Pikmin off when 5 or more Pikmin are latched on 0.8
fp23 もがき時間 Unknown 1
fp31 ハント下降係数 Determines how far it descends while swooping 0.3
fp32 ハント後減衰率 Unknown 0.95
fp41 Fall Meck 速度 Unknown 330
Pikmin 3 technical information (?)
Internal name sarai
HP 1000
Rock Pikmin throw hits to kill 15
White Pikmin ingestions to kill 0
Bomb rock explosions to kill 1
Bomb rock ingestions to kill 0
Number of direct hits on top to kill 0
Damage to leaders 0
Territory radius 200
Mission Mode value 30

Other informationEdit

NamingEdit

See more: Scarpanid family#Naming.
  • Common name: Swooping Snitchbug. "Swooping" refers to how it swoops down to catch prey.
  • Japanese nickname: サライムシ?, lit.: "Kidnapping Bug".
  • Japanese name: テナガドウガネサライムシ?, lit.: "Long-armed Cupreous Chafer Kidnapping Bug".
  • Scientific name: Scarpanica kesperens. It is made up of two unknown words.
  • Internal names: Internally, it is known as napkid in Pikmin, which is likely a misspelling of "kidnap", which in turn is part of the translation of its Japanese name. In Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3, it is called sarai instead, the first word of its Japanese name.
  • Prerelease: None.

Names in other languagesEdit

Language Name Meaning Notes
  Japanese サライムシ?
Sarai Mushi
Snatch Bug
  Chinese
(traditional)
猛奪蟲
Měng Duó Chóng
Abrupt Snatch Bug
  Chinese
(simplified)
猛夺虫
Měng Duó Chóng
Abrupt Snatch Bug
  Dutch Duikende graaivlieg Swooping graspfly
  French Piquépille Swooplunder The name comes from "pique et pille" (swoop and plunder)
  German Flatternder Piknapper Fluttering Piknapper The name is a play on "Pikmin" and "Kidnapper"
  Italian Dittero ladro Thief dipterum
  Korean 납치벌레
Napchi-Beolle
Abduction Bug
  Portuguese Mutuca raptora (Pikmin 4) Kidnapper horsefly (Pikmin 4)
  Portuguese (NoE) Snitchbug Predador Predator Snitchbug Name taken from a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
  Spanish Moscardón quinqui (Pikmin 3)
Moscardón ladrón (Pikmin 1, Pikmin 2 Switch version, Pikmin 4)
Delinquent bumblebee
Thief bumblebee

GalleryEdit

This article or section is in need of more images. Particularly:
Add an image of a corpse in Hey! Pikmin and images of wild Snitchbugs in P4.
You can help Pikipedia by uploading some images.

PikminEdit

Pikmin 2Edit

Pikmin 3Edit

Pikmin 4Edit

Hey! PikminEdit

OtherEdit

TriviaEdit

To do: Determine whether or not the Snitchbug can catch Pikmin midair in Pikmin and Pikmin 3, and update the corresponding trivia point regarding Pikmin 2 if needed.
Care to do so?

  • When idle, the Swooping Snitchbug rubs its hands together, similar to a fly. This can also be seen with the Bumbling Snitchbug.
  • Swooping Snitchbugs and Mamutas are the only ways one can see a burrowed Bulbmin.
  • In Pikmin and Pikmin 2, when Pikmin are grabbed, their squeal is the same as if they got bitten, but it is a different sound in Pikmin 3.
  • In Pikmin 3, if a Pikmin lays down a bomb rock, there is a chance the Swooping Snitchbug will grab the bomb rock. It will then explode in its hands, killing it.
  • The position of the Swooping Snitchbug in the enemy reel, which is otherwise alphabetized, indicates that the creature's name may originally have started with the letter "f". This was fixed in the Switch port.
  • In Pikmin 2, it is possible for the Swooping Snitchbug to capture Pikmin mid-air.
  • Also in Pikmin 2, Pikmin held by a Swooping Snitchbug can not die from bomb rock explosions.
  • In Pikmin 2, if there are 99 Pikmin buried in the same area or sublevel, it will be impossible for a Swooping Snitchbug to bury the 100th Pikmin. That Pikmin will simply stay idle.[1].

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ YouTube video showing it is impossible for a Swooping Snitchbug to bury more than 99 Pikmin