The 10 best Bug Pokemon of all time

Bug Pokémon are a strange and underappreciated bunch, but the best ones stand out in weird and wonderful ways

Author:
Ryan Woodrow
Publish date:
Oct 21, 2023 4:00 AM EDT

Bugs are a bit of a weird type in Pokémon and are often underrated. Maybe it’s because so many people have a fear of creepy crawlies, or maybe it’s because their strange designs open up into weird Pokémon concepts much easier than creatures like fish or birds. Either way, when you start diving into Bug Pokémon you quickly find there’s plenty to like, especially as they can combine with almost any other type very easily.

We’ve dug through the weeds to pick out the best Bug Pokémon ever so you can grow a new appreciation for these creatures.

Check out more of our Pokémon rankings with our lists of the best Rock Pokémon, best Fighting Pokémon, and best Water Pokémon.

Centiskorch

Centiskorch is a wonderful crossover of concepts. The centipede is right there in the name, but its Fire-typing also forces it to crossover with the concept of Chinese dragons to create something that looks quick and agile, but also rather ferocious. Its only downside is that even looking at a rock will cause it to collapse.

Butterfree

Butterfree is so beloved if only because it’s the source of plenty of childhood trauma thanks to one of the saddest episodes of the Pokémon anime ever. Still, Butterfree is a really simple and pleasant design aside from all that and feels like a worthy reward for investing in a Caterpie and slogging through its time as a Metapod.

Ribombee

Fairy and Bug have a natural crossover when you think about it, but none have been able to capture it quite like Ribombee. Something about the cutesy design of its face and little scarf makes it so endearing that it makes you forget that it’s a bug entirely, just enjoying the light and fluffy feel of having a Ribombee in your party.

Shuckle

Come on, who doesn’t love Shuckle?

Vikavolt

It’s common for Bug-types to go through some very small cocoon stages before reaching their final form, and there is perhaps no more spectacular glow-up than from Charjabug to Vikavolt. Where Charjabug had an adorable atmosphere around its battery design, Vikavolt looks like an absolute killer of a bug – especially as trying to zap it will only make it stronger.

Shedinja

Like Shuckle, Shedinja is a bit of a meme Pokémon, but it’s one of the most fun to play around with. Plenty of hours have gone into making Shedinja has frustrating as possible to play against, and everyone remembers an encounter with one where they inexplicably got walled because of sheer bad luck.

Scyther

There has always been debate among Pokémon fans as to whether Scyther or it’s evolution, Scizor is the cooler Pokémon, but we side with the technically weaker of the two. The thing is, Scyther is still a killer on its own – it literally has scythes for hands, after all. Scythes beat Scissors, this is a simple truth.

Heracross

The poster child for “less is more” when it comes to Pokémon design. Heracross is very clearly just a big beetle, and yet the big beady eyes on the side of its face give it so much additional personality. Plus it’s a beefy bug that can tank a fair few hits on the battlefield if you train it properly.

Yanmega

Yanma is a decent Pokémon, but Yanmega turns it into something far cooler. It moves with grace, has incredible speed, surprising amounts of power, and it can also learn Ancient Power for some weird reason. We have no idea why Game Freak decided to give Yanmega so much cool stuff, but we’re very happy that they did.

Volcarona

There are plenty of great Bug Pokémon, but let’s be real, Volcarona was always going to take the top spot. It has the power and stature of a Legendary Pokémon, so much so that Black and White treat it as if it is one. It’s a thing of beauty with just the right mix of colors to shine like the sun and be a powerhouse on any team.