New Leaf in May: Fish, Bugs, Diving & Events Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Warm days bring more bugs. Mother’s Day sends a pink carnation, and the last Fishing Tourney until autumn is held. Here is everything you can catch in May, what’s new, what’s about to leave, and the events and birthdays on the calendar.

Fish: 40
Bugs: 25
Deep-sea: 16
Events: 2
Birthdays: 27
Prev / next: April · June

Best earners this month

Fish: Coelacanth Whale shark Oarfish
Bugs: Raja Brooke butterfly Bee Orchid mantis
Diving: Giant isopod Lobster Pearl oyster

Arriving & leaving

New in May: Angelfish Nibble fish Catfish Frog Raja Brooke butterfly Diving beetle Long locust Pondskater Moth Sea urchin
Last month to catch: Oarfish Loach Mole cricket

Tortimer Island is always summer, so its fish, bugs and sea creatures don’t follow this calendar. Creatures marked “Island only” never appear in town.

Events in May

Event	When	What happens
Mother’s Day	2nd Sunday of May	Mom sends a letter with a pink carnation.
Fishing Tourney	3rd Saturday of January, March, May and November (9 AM–6 PM)	Chip measures every fish you bring. New records earn Fish furniture, and the top three win trophies at the 6 PM ceremony.

40 fish in May

Fish	Sells for	Where	Time
Coelacanth	15,000	Sea (rain or snow)Shadow: Huge	4 PM–9 AM
Whale sharkIsland only	13,000	Tortimer IslandShadow: Huge (fin)	All day
Oarfish	9,000	SeaShadow: Huge	All day
Barred knifejaw	5,000	SeaShadow: Medium	All day
Giant trevallyIsland only	4,500	Tortimer IslandShadow: Very large	All day
Koi	4,000	RiverShadow: Large	4 PM–9 AM
Char	3,800	WaterfallShadow: Medium	4–9 AM, 4–9 PM (Mar–Jun); 4 AM–9 PM (Sep–Nov)
Angelfish	3,000	RiverShadow: Small	4 PM–9 AM
Red snapper	3,000	SeaShadow: Medium	All day
Nibble fish	1,500	RiverShadow: Small	9 AM–4 PM
Goldfish	1,300	RiverShadow: Tiny	All day
Popeyed goldfish	1,300	RiverShadow: Tiny	9 AM–4 PM
Guppy	1,300	RiverShadow: Tiny	9 AM–4 PM
Seahorse	1,100	SeaShadow: Tiny	All day
Cherry salmon	1,000	RiverShadow: Medium	4–9 AM, 4–9 PM (Mar–Jun); 4 AM–9 PM (Sep–Nov)
Surgeonfish	1,000	SeaShadow: Small	All day
Butterfly fish	1,000	SeaShadow: Small	All day
Catfish	800	River poolShadow: Large	4 PM–9 AM
Rainbow trout	800	RiverShadow: Large	4–9 AM, 4–9 PM (Mar–Jun); 4 AM–9 PM (Sep–Nov)
Olive flounder	800	SeaShadow: Large	All day
Clownfish	650	SeaShadow: Tiny	All day
Ribbon eelIsland only	600	Tortimer IslandShadow: Long and thin	All day
Neon tetra	500	RiverShadow: Tiny	9 AM–4 PM
Zebra turkeyfish	400	SeaShadow: Medium	All day
Squid	400	SeaShadow: Medium	All day
Carp	300	RiverShadow: Large	All day
Killifish	300	PondShadow: Tiny	All day
Freshwater goby	300	RiverShadow: Small	4 PM–9 AM
Loach	300	RiverShadow: Small	All day
Black bass	300	RiverShadow: Large	All day
Pale chub	200	RiverShadow: Tiny	9 AM–4 PM
Dace	200	RiverShadow: Medium	4 PM–9 AM
Barbel steed	200	RiverShadow: Medium	All day
Crawfish	200	PondShadow: Small	All day
Sea bass	200	SeaShadow: Very large	All day
Horse mackerel	150	SeaShadow: Small	All day
Crucian carp	120	RiverShadow: Small	All day
Frog	120	PondShadow: Small	All day
Bluegill	120	RiverShadow: Small	9 AM–4 PM
Tadpole	100	PondShadow: Tiny	All day

25 bugs in May

Bug	Sells for	Where	Time
Raja Brooke butterfly	2,500	Flying near river	8 AM–5 PM
Bee	2,500	In trees	All day
Orchid mantis	2,400	On white flowers	8 AM–5 PM
Tiger beetle	1,500	On the ground	8 AM–11 PM
Hermit crabIsland only	1,000	Tortimer Island beach	7 PM–8 AM
Diving beetle	800	Swimming on river or pond	8 AM–5 PM
Mantis	430	On flowers	8 AM–5 PM
Spider	300	In trees	All day
Mole cricket	280	Underground	All day
Snail	250	On bushes (rain)	All day
Pill bug	250	Under rocks	All day
Peacock butterfly	220	Flying near flowers (purple, black and blue)	4 AM–7 PM
Long locust	200	On the ground	8 AM–7 PM
Ladybug	200	On flowers	8 AM–5 PM
Wharf roach	200	On the beach	All day
Tiger butterfly	160	Flying near flowers (red, pink)	8 AM–7 PM
Pondskater	130	Swimming on river or pond	8 AM–7 PM
Stinkbug	120	On trees	All day
Honeybee	100	Flying near flowers	8 AM–5 PM
Common butterfly	90	Flying near flowers	4 AM–7 PM
Yellow butterfly	90	Flying near flowers	6 AM–4 PM
Ant	80	On rotten food	All day
Flea	70	On villagers	All day
Moth	60	Flying near lights	7 PM–4 AM
Fly	60	Flying near trash	All day

16 deep-sea creatures in May

Creature	Sells for	Shadow	Time
Giant isopodIsland only	9,000	Medium shadow, slowTortimer Island only	All day
Lobster	2,500	Large shadow, fast	All day
Pearl oyster	1,600	Small shadow, medium	All day
Mantis shrimp	1,250	Small shadow, erratic	4 PM–9 AM
Scallop	1,000	Medium shadow, slow	All day
Octopus	1,000	Medium shadow, slow	All day
Sea urchin	800	Small shadow, slow	All day
Spotted garden eelIsland only	600	Small shadow, slowTortimer Island only	All day
Abalone	400	Medium shadow, medium	4 PM–9 AM
Turban shell	300	Small shadow, slow	4 PM–9 AM
Ear shell	300	Small shadow, slow	4 PM–9 AM
Seaweed	200	Large shadow, stationary	All day
Acorn barnacle	200	Very small shadow, stationary	All day
Sea slug	200	Small shadow, very slow	All day
Sea anemone	100	Medium shadow, stationary	All day
Sea star	100	Small shadow, very slow	All day

FAQ

What fish can you catch in May in Animal Crossing: New Leaf?

40 fish. The most valuable are Coelacanth (15,000 Bells), Whale shark (13,000 Bells), Oarfish (9,000 Bells).

What bugs can you catch in May?

25 bugs. The most valuable are Raja Brooke butterfly (2,500 Bells), Bee (2,500 Bells), Orchid mantis (2,400 Bells).

What deep-sea creatures are there in May?

16 deep-sea creatures. The most valuable are Giant isopod (9,000 Bells), Lobster (2,500 Bells), Pearl oyster (1,600 Bells).

What events are in May?

Mother’s Day: 2nd Sunday of May; Fishing Tourney: 3rd Saturday of January, March, May and November (9 AM–6 PM).

Which villagers have birthdays in May?

27 villagers, including Clyde (1), Mint (2), Sylvia (3), Deirdre (4), Tank (6), Ozzie (7), Curlos (8), Bunnie (9) and more.

Sources & picture credits

Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against Nookipedia and the Animal Crossing Wiki. Icons, renders and screenshots © Nintendo; local copies archived from Animal Crossing Wiki file pages (listed in the picture gallery).