Capture Blipbug in Pokemon Go
Pokemon GO Bug Out 2026 is live right now and the headline addition is Blipbug, a pure Bug-type Pokemon from the Galar region making its Pokemon GO debut alongside its full evolution line, Dottler and Orbeetle.
If you have been searching the wild for Blipbug and finding nothing, that is because it does not spawn there at all.
Here is exactly how to get it, how many candies you need to complete the full evolution line, what else is happening during the event, and whether grinding for Orbeetle is actually worth your time.
Pokemon GO Bug Out 2026 Event Dates and Times
The Bug Out 2026 event runs from Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 10:00 AM local time to Monday, March 23, 2026, at 8:00 PM local time. You have until March 23 to catch Blipbug, hunt Shiny Sizzlipede, and complete your GO Pass rewards. Anything you unlock on the GO Pass must be claimed by Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 8:00 PM local time, or it will expire.
How to Get Blipbug in Pokemon Go Bug Out 2026
This is the question most players are asking right now because Blipbug simply does not show up in the wild. There are only two ways to get it during this event.
One-Star Raids are the main method. Blipbug appears as a One-Star Raid boss at Gyms throughout the event. This is the fastest and most reliable way to catch multiple Blipbug and stack up candy. You can solo One-Star Raids easily with almost any meta attacker, so the difficulty is not an issue. The problem is that raiding for candy alone is slow, which is covered below.
GO Pass Tasks are the second method. The free Bug Out GO Pass, which every trainer receives automatically at the start of the event, includes Blipbug encounter rewards at certain ranks. Complete the Pass Tasks to progress through ranks and claim Blipbug encounters along the way. If you upgraded to the GO Pass Deluxe for $4.99 or the GO Pass Deluxe plus 6 Ranks for $6.99, you will get additional Blipbug encounters faster.
That is it. No wild spawns, no egg hatches, no field research tasks that reward Blipbug. Raids and GO Pass are your only options during this event.
How Many Candies Do You Need to Evolve Blipbug Into Orbeetle
The full Blipbug evolution line costs 125 candies total.
- Blipbug evolves into Dottler for 25 Blipbug Candy
- Dottler evolves into Orbeetle for 100 Blipbug Candy
That 125 candy total is what is frustrating players right now. Since Blipbug is raid-locked and does not appear in the wild, farming 125 candies purely through raiding is genuinely impractical during a single week-long event. Here are the most efficient ways to get enough candy.
Walk Blipbug as your buddy. Set Blipbug as your buddy immediately after catching it. It earns candy as you walk, and this is the most reliable passive candy source outside of raiding.
Use Pinap Berries on every Blipbug raid catch. Pinap Berries double the candy you receive from catching a Pokemon. With a Pinap Berry on a raid catch, you get 6 candy per Blipbug instead of 3. If you do 5 raids with a Pinap on each catch, that is 30 candy from catches alone, plus the raid candy on top.
Use Rare Candy. Rare Candy converts into any Pokemon candy and is the fastest way to close the gap. If you have a stash saved up, this is the time to spend some. Blipbug is a new debut and Orbeetle will likely not be easy to grind after the event ends.
Wait for a future event. If you cannot reach 125 candy this week, just catch and store a high IV Blipbug now and be patient. Blipbug will almost certainly return in a future Community Day or wider release, where candy farming will be much easier.
Is Orbeetle Worth Evolving Into in Pokemon GO
Honestly, not right now for competitive play. Orbeetle is a Bug and Psychic type with a max CP of 2513, an attack stat of 156, a defense of 240, and a stamina of 155. In raids, it barely registers as a threat. Even Parasect, which is not exactly a powerhouse, outperforms Orbeetle as a Bug-type attacker. On the Psychic side, the competition is even more one-sided, with options like Mewtwo, Alakazam, and Espeon all far ahead.
In GO Battle League, Orbeetle performs slightly better with wins against Clodsire, Medicham, Annihilape, Azumarill, and Cradily in Great League, but losses are still more common than wins and it does not have the meta presence to justify heavy investment right now.
The reason to grind for Orbeetle candy now is its Gigantamax form, G-Max Orbeetle, which uses G-Max Gravitas as a Psychic-type Max Move. When Dynamax content is eventually expanded, a future G-Max Orbeetle could become relevant as a Psychic-type Max Battle attacker. However, experts note it will likely still be outclassed by Max Alakazam, Max Latios, Max Espeon, and Max Metagross even then.
The bottom line is that you should catch Blipbug and register it in your Pokedex. Evolve at least one into Orbeetle if you can get the candy during the event. But do not burn all your Rare Candy chasing a perfect IV Orbeetle this week. A high PvP IV Blipbug stored for future use is the smarter play right now.
Shiny Sizzlipede: How to Get It and Odds Explained
Shiny Sizzlipede is making its first-ever debut in Pokemon GO during Bug Out 2026. This is a big deal for shiny hunters because Sizzlipede and its evolution, Centiskorch, are both getting their shiny forms for the first time simultaneously.
Sizzlipede can be found in the wild during the event, through Lure Modules in every rotation window, and potentially through Field Research tasks. The shiny is not boosted, meaning it appears at standard shiny odds of approximately 1 in 500 encounters. Do not expect to find one quickly. Tap every Sizzlipede you see, use Incense to increase encounter rates, and use Lure Modules during the Sizzlipede rotation windows for the best odds.
Shiny Centiskorch has a darker, more vibrant color than the standard version. Both are worth adding to your collection if you can find them.
Lure Module Schedule for Bug Out 2026
The rotating Lure Module schedule is one of the most important features of this event because it is currently the only way to encounter Shiny Combee and Shiny Cutiefly. Here is the full schedule:
- March 17 at 10:00 AM to March 19 at 10:00 AM: Paras and Sizzlipede are attracted to Lures
- March 19 at 10:00 AM to March 21 at 10:00 AM: Cutiefly and Sizzlipede are attracted to Lures
- March 21 at 10:00 AM to March 23 at 8:00 PM: Combee and Sizzlipede are attracted to Lures
Right now on March 19 to 20, the active Lure window is Cutiefly and Sizzlipede. Shiny Cutiefly has a boosted chance during this window, so drop a Lure Module on a PokeStop near you and tap every Cutiefly that appears. From March 21 the Combee window begins, which is the rarest shiny opportunity of the entire event since female Shiny Combee is needed to evolve into Shiny Vespiquen and female Combee is only a 12.5% gender ratio.
Sizzlipede appears in every Lure window throughout the event, so you always have a chance at the shiny whenever you have a Lure active.
All Wild Spawns During Pokemon Go Bug Out 2026
These Pokemon are appearing more frequently in the wild during the event: Caterpie, Weedle, Paras, Venonat, Scyther as a rare encounter, Spinarak, Wurmple, Surskit, Kricketot, Combee, Dwebble, Sewaddle, Sizzlipede, Nymble, and more. Several of these, including Paras, Combee, and Scyther, can be shiny.
Caterpie is worth catching in bulk during this event. It only costs 12 candies to evolve into Metapod and another 50 to reach Butterfree. With the 2x catch candy bonus active and a Pinap Berry on each catch, you can farm Caterpie candy extremely fast and mass evolve for XP.
GO Pass Rewards: Free vs Deluxe Breakdown
Every trainer gets the free Bug Out GO Pass automatically. Completing tasks earns GO Points, which raise your rank through 60 tiers, unlocking rewards like Pokemon encounters, Stardust, Poke Balls, and Lure Modules along the way.
The GO Pass Deluxe at $4.99 adds upgraded rewards, faster progression, extra Blipbug encounters, 3x Candy for catching Pokemon at Tier 2, and additional event-themed encounters. The GO Pass Deluxe plus 6 Ranks at $6.99 also automatically earns you enough GO Points to reach Rank 7 immediately.
A bonus gift with either Deluxe version purchased through the Pokemon GO Web Store includes 10 Ultra Balls, 5 Max Revives, 1 Premium Battle Pass, and 5 Max Potions. If you are planning to raid heavily for Blipbug candy anyway, the Deluxe pass is reasonable value for the extra encounters and candy bonuses.
Event Bonuses Active During Bug Out 2026
The following bonuses are running throughout the event: 2x XP for Nice Throws or better during catch attempts, increased Shiny rates for Paras, Combee, and Cutiefly at Lure Modules, and a guaranteed Candy XL on every trade regardless of catch distance. Friendship Fridays this season double the guaranteed candy from trades, so Friday, March 21, is the best day to trade event catches with friends for maximum candy returns.
Bug Out 2026 Raid Bosses
The following Pokemon are appearing in raids during the event. In One-Star Raids: Blipbug, Caterpie, Weedle, and Spinarak. In Three-Star Raids: Pinsir and Scizor. These are worth running if you still need Mega Energy for Mega Pinsir or Mega Scizor since three-star raids drop Mega Energy on completion.
Final Tips to Make the Most of Bug Out 2026 Before March 23
Use your Lure Modules strategically based on the rotation schedule above. The Combee window from March 21 is the most valuable for shiny hunters, so save at least a couple of Lures for those final two days.
Catch every Blipbug raid you can find and use Pinap Berries on every catch. Walk Blipbug as your buddy between raids. Even if you cannot complete the full evolution this week, getting the Pokedex entry and storing a high IV Blipbug now is worth it.
Farm Caterpie for XP if you need it. The combination of 2x XP for Nice Throws and mass evolving Caterpie with Lucky Eggs is one of the most efficient XP strategies in the game and Bug Out is the best time to run it.
The event ends on March 23 at 8:00 PM local time. You have just a few days left.
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