The Pokemon franchise has been around ever since the release of its first generation games back in 1996. Fast forward to today, and Pokemon is one of the biggest franchises out there spanning across multiple forms of media including video games, animated series, and many others.
The first generation of Pokemon had only 151 fictional creatures known as Pokemon, however, over the years, many others have been added to the Pokedex, and with each generation, the ever-growing roster of Pokemon gets bigger.
Pokemon come in many different types and crossovers of those types and each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages in battle. Today we will be taking a closer look at the Bug type Pokemon and will be listing some of the best ones in particular order across multiple generations, so without any further ado, let’s do further.
1. Araquanid
Araquanid is a bug-type Pokemon that doesn’t seem special at first glance, however, looks can be deceiving. Compared to other bug-type Pokemon, Araquanid comes with a solid amount of health points and a decent basic defense, as well as a special defense stat of 132.
This incredibly tough bug Pokemon doesn’t seem to wield much in terms of offensive power, however, Araquanid has a trick up its sleeve, its signature ability called Water Bubble. This ability doubles the strength of any and all Water-type moves that Araquanid uses and decreases the damage it takes by 50%.
All in all, Araquanid is best used as a support Pokemon utilizing abilities such as Sticky Web, Toxic or Magic Coat, however, if push comes to shove, you can always rely on his Hydro Pump or Lunge abilities.
2. Beedrill
Beedrill is a Pokemon from the first generation and made its debut appearance in Pokemon Red and Blue games as well as in the anime episode called The Bug Stops Here. Our favorite protagonist Ash even managed to catch one of them, however, he ended up giving it to Casey.
Beedrill is a Bug/Poison-type Pokemon, and admittedly, there is nothing impressive about this Pokemon at first glance. However, if we take its ability to Mega Evolve into consideration, then it is a whole different story.
Once evolved, Mega Beedrill gains a 150 Attack stat, and its Speed increases from 75 to 145, allowing it to almost always go first in battle, and thus deal a huge amount of damage right at the start. In addition to that, the Mega Beedrill also gains the Adaptability trait which makes its Stab moves a lot more powerful.
3. Accelgor
Next up is Accelgor, arguably the coolest-looking Pokemon on this list thanks to its crossed arms, mysterious and somewhat scary gaze, and overall appearance.
Aside from its appearance, this pure Bug type has other things going for it, like the extremely versatile arsenal of moves of different types among which are Poison, Water, Normal, Grass, Psychic, and Fighting.
Accelgor comes with a base Speed stat of 145 which is pretty high right off the bat, however, its Unburden ability allows Accelgor to double its speed, making it one of the fastest Pokemon out there.
While Accelgor’s Special Attack is not bad, it is not particularly good either, and while you do have a variety of attacks to choose from, moves such as Sludge Bomb, Water Shuriken, Giga Drain, and Energy Ball are your best bet. Another viable strategy would be to give your Accelgor an item such as Choice Specs to increase its power.
4. Ribombee
Ribombee was added to the Pokedex with the seventh generation and is the only Big/Fairy type on our list. Ribombee may look like a cute little bumblebee, but don’t let its looks fool you as it can be a very useful addition to any Pokemon roster.
When it comes to stats, none of them are very impressive, in fact, Ribombee’s biggest asset is its Speed with a base value of 124. However, Ribombee is meant to be a support Pokemon, so its stats are not what makes it a great asset, but rather its abilities.
Ribombee has a wide variety of moves, most notable among them being Aromatherapy, Sticky Web, Stun Spor, Quiver Dance, U-Turn, and Moonblast. The best way to utilize Ribombee is via Status moves, however, you can also use a Quiver Dance to unleash a strong Special Attack if you ever find yourself in a pinch.
5. Orbeetle
Orbeetle is one of the newer additions to the family of Bug Pokemon and can be obtained relatively early. It is the final evolution of Blupbug and evolves directly from Drottler once it reaches level 30. The Orbeetle also has a Gigantamax form, however, obtaining it is an arduous task.
Orbeetle is a Bug/Psychic type and as such, it comes with six different weaknesses and four resistances, however, the Orbeetle has a base stat of 505 and comes equipt with great Defense and Special Defense, as well as more than decent Special Attack and Speed. This is offset by very poor Attack capabilities as well as pitiful HP. Overall, the Orbeetle is an interesting Pokemon that comes with a lot of downsides, however, it can be extremely useful in specific situations.
6. Pheromosa
Pheromosa is a Bug/Fighting type that made its debut appearance in Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon games on first glance, Pheromosa looks like an extremely delicate Pokemon that doesn’t have much going for it, however, you would be only partially right.
Pheromosa is an Ultra Beast that comes with 137 Attack, 137 Special Attack, and 151 Speed which more or less guarantees that it will be the first one to attack in every battle, and once it does, the amount of damage Pheromosa can do with its STAB moves such as High Jump Kick or Bug Buzz is incredible.
However, Pheromosa comes with a single downside, it being its extremely low defensive capabilities. With both its Defense and Special Defense stats being 37, Pheromosa isn’t capable of taking much damage, making it essentially a glass canon. Still, this Pokemon can be very useful if utilized right.
7. Volcarona
Volcarona is a Bug/Fire type Pokemon that evolves from Larvesta upon reaching the whopping level 59 and is also a signature Pokemon of Alder, one of the Champions of Unova League.
This Bug/Fire Pokemon comes equipped with amazing Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, which is offset by its Physical and HP stats that are mediocre at best.
Volcarona’s dual-type makes it very weak to Rock, Flying, and Water however, it is extremely resistant to everything else and has a wide variety of strong Bug and Fire moves which makes Volcarona an immensely powerful Pokemon and one of the strongest Bug types in the Pokemon franchise.
8. Scizor
Scizor made its first appearance in the second-generation games, Pokemon Silver and Pokemon Gold, and is widely considered to be one of the best Bug Pokemon out there.
Looking like a knight in red armor with huge claws for weapons, this Bug/Steel type evolves from Scyther once special conditions are met and comes with a base stat of 500.
Scizor brings to the table a variety of high stats such as Attack, Defense, and Special Defense, and while the rest of its stats are average at best, Scizor also comes with eight resistances, one immunity, and only a single vulnerability, Fire.
All in all, Scizor is a very powerful Pokemon, however, it is worth mentioning that he can become even more powerful if he Mega Evolves. This would raise Scizor’s base stat to 600 and its Attack and Defense would be comparable to Legendary Pokemon.
9. Ninjask
Ninjask is a Bug/Flying type Pokemon and at first glance, it may seem like somewhat of an odd choice for a list of some of the best Bug Pokemon in existence considering its abundantly average stats. However, there is one thing that sets Ninjask apart from other Bug type Pokemon and that is its incredible speed.
Ninjask has a base Speed stat of 160, which makes it one of, if not the fastest Pokemon out there and ensures that it will always be attacking first in every single battle. While its 160 Speed stat is impressive, Ninjask also comes equipped with a Speed Boost ability which increases its speed every turn.
With its ridiculously high Speed and solid Attack, Ninjask is a decent attacker on its own, however, it is the best use as a support Pokemon due to its ability to pass off its incredible speed to other Pokemon who are capable of dealing a lot more damage.
10. Galvantula
Galvantula is an evolution of Joltik and an Electric/Bug type which is an interesting combination that comes with its own unique pros and cons with its biggest advantage being the removal of weakness to Ground and Flying types.
This electric arachnid comes with some decent stats such as 70 HP, 108 Speed, and 97 Special Attack however, its defensive capabilities are on the low side with both its Defense and Special Defense stats being 60.
Overall, Galvantula is a well-rounded Pokemon with an excellent Special Attack and a variety of powerful moves like Bug Buzz, Thunderbolt, and Electroweb, however, its biggest advantage is the Compound Eyes ability which increases Galvantula’s accuracy. When used, it makes moves such as Thunder a lot more accurate and reliable, thus decreasing the risk factor and making them a lot more viable.
11. Yanmega
Yanmega is a Bug/Flying type Pokemon that evolves from Yanma and made its first appearance in fourth generation games, Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl. Yanmega has a low Defense stat and due to its type, it is extremely weak to all Rock-type moves, however, it also has a lot going for it.
This dragonfly-inspired Pokemon is an excellent addition to any Pokemon team thanks to its Speed and Special Attack as well as its Speed Boost Ability and Tinted Lens ability which causes moves that are “not very effective” to deal regular damage to opponents.
12. Frosmoth
Frostmoth is a Bug/Ice type Pokemon which makes it very unique considering the fact that up to this date, it is the only one of this type. Unfortunately, its uniqueness is the only thing it has going for it because being a Bug/Ice type makes Frosmoth extremely vulnerable to Fire, Rock, and to a lesser extent Steel and Flying moves. This, combined with only three resistances it has makes Frosmoth seem like an unworthy candidate for this list, at least at first glance.
However, Frosmoth comes with a total base stat of 475 as well as an exceptionally good Special Attack, great Special Defense, and average stats all around. Its wide variety of moves such as Ice Beam, Bug Buzz, and Hurricane is sure to deal a lot of damage to enemies, but what makes Frosmoth special is its Ice Scales ability which reduces all incoming damage by half.
Overall, Frosmoth can be an excellent ally, provided that you come up with a good strategy for it and avoid using it against physical attackers.
13. Centiskorch
Next up, we have one of the newer additions to the Pokedex, the Centiskorch. Centiskorch is a Fire/Bug type Pokemon that made its debut appearance in the eighth generation games, Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield.
Centiskorch is a centipede with a Flame Body which means that every time it is successfully attacked, there is a 30% chance that the attacker will get burned for a significant amount of damage, provided that the attacker isn’t immune.
Centiskorch is evolved from a Sizzlipede once it reaches level 28, and aside from its Flame Body, Centiskorch comes with extraordinary Special Attack and Special Defense stats, excellent HP, and a very strong Attack, however, its base Defense and Speed are somewhat lackluster.
14. Escavalier
Escavalier is a Bug/Steel type that has a very unique way of evolving. Namely, Escalaier evolves from Karrablast, but only when it’s traded for a Shelmet, which in turn makes the Shelmet evolve into Acelgor at the same time.
Escavalier sports the look of a centurion wielding a couple of javelins and due to its type, it comes with eight resistances and one immunity, only being exceptionally weak to Fire-type.
Besides its incredible defensive capabilities, Escavalier comes with a very high Attack stat, however, this is all it has going for it as its HP is below average, its Special Attack is nothing to write home about, and its Speed is downright terrible.
Needless to say, Escavalier will likely never go first in battle, however, it is more than capable of withstanding an attack and dishing out significant damage afterward, as long as it is not going up against a Fire-type.
15. Vespiquen
Vespiquen is a Bug/Flying type that looks a lot like a queen bee with its red eyes and white wings that has decided to go to a fancy ball wearing a beautiful black and yellow striped dress. Vespiquen first appeared in An Angry Combeenation! As a leader of one of the Combee colonies.
Vespiquen is known to evolve from a Combee, or rather a female Combee that has reached level 21 to be more specific. While a female Combees evolves to a Vespiqen, it is unknown whether its male counterpart is capable of evolving into any Pokemon.
When it comes to its abilities, Vespiqen comes with a variety of moves, most notable among them being the Bug Bite, Fell Stinger, and Attack Order.
16. Pinsir
We can’t talk about Bug Pokemon without mentioning Pinisir. Pinsir is a pure Bug type that was introduced way back in generation one games and is a decent offensive choice with most of its stat being pretty good aside from its HP, Special Attack, and Special Defense which are somewhat lacking.
What makes Pinsir an excellent attacker is the fact that he can use a variety of Fighting-type moves, however, due to its pure Bug type, Pinisir doesn’t suffer from weaknesses that would normally affect Fighting type Pokemon.
When Pinsir made its debut appearance, it wasn’t capable of evolving, however, with the release of Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, Pinsir is capable of Mega Evolving and can become Mega Pinsir. This greatly increases Pinsir’s power and changes its type to Bug/Flying.
17. Scyther
Scyther is a Bug/Flying type Pokemon that first appeared during generation one and bears the appearance of an armored praying mantis wielding a scythe in each of its hands, which is probably how this Pokemon got its name.
Scyther comes with a base stat total of 500 with its strongest stats being 110 Attack and 105 Speed, and it is said that there are not many Pokemon that can stand up against Scyther, provided that it is trained properly.
Depending on which item is used, Scyther is capable of evolving into two different Pokemon, Scizor which is a Bug/Steel Pokemon from generation two, and Kleavor which first appeared in generation eight, Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
However, even without evolving, Scyther is an extremely powerful Pokemon that comes with a plethora of strong moves such as Fury Cutter, X-Scissor, and Air Slash.
18. Golisopod
Golisopod is a Bug Water type that was introduced in the seventh generation games, Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon, and is one of the scarier entries on our list, not just in terms of appearance, but in terms of raw power as well.
Golispod’s strongest stats are its Attack and Defense, and while his other stats such as HP, Special Attack, and Special Defense aren’t great, its move set combined with its strong stats more than make up for it.
Golisopod is a textbook definition of a glass cannon and its biggest weakness is its incredibly low speed. However, this is counterbalanced by its Emergency Exit ability which allows Galisopod to retreat from combat once its HP gets below 50%.
Besides Emergency Exit, Galispod comes with a bunch of powerful attacks such as First Impression, Waterfall, Scuker Punch, and Close Combat with some of them being capable of knocking out your opponent in a single hit.
19. Genesect
Last but definitely not least, we have Genesect, the sole Legendary Pokemon on our list. Genesect first appeared in the fifth generation games, Pokemon Black and Pokemon White, and is Bug/Steel type Pokemon that comes with a base stat of 600.
Genesect comes with all of its stats at a high level with the best of them being its Attack and Special Attack and shares all weaknesses and resistances with other Bug/Steel type Pokemon with its biggest disadvantage being a severe weakness to Fire.
Genesect comes with a wide variety of moves, however, it is worth noting that Genesect comes with a unique ability called Techno Blast which changes types depending on which Drive is inserted into its canon which makes Genesect an extremely versatile Pokemon fit for almost any kind of battle.
Besides Techno Blast, Genesect is capable of many other offensive abilities with some of the more notable ones being the Zap Cannon, Bug Buzz, and the insanely powerful Self-Destruct which is obtainable at level 91.
20. Heracross
Heracross is a Bug-type Pokemon that made its first appearance back in Pokemon Gold and Silver and ever since it kept coming up on numerous occasions within the Pokemon franchise.
Right off the bat, this Pokemon comes with an Attack stat of 125 which is pretty high, however, its attacking capabilities can be increased even higher thanks to its Moxie ability which allows Heracross to raise its Attack stat every time it knocks out an enemy.
While all of this is great, Heracross can increase its power even further by Mega-Evolving. This makes Heracross the strongest Bug-type Pokemon when it comes to raw power, giving it an Attack stat of 185. This, combined with the STAB moves that Heracross has at its disposal, will make Heracross a force to be reckoned with.
