Animal Crossing: Everything New in May 2022 (Bugs, Fish, Seasonal Items)

May is just around the corner in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and there will be new bugs, fish, and seasonal items for players to collect this month before they’re gone again. Spring is in full swing in the Northern Hemisphere, while the Southern Hemisphere has been enjoying the fall. After events like Bunny Day, Prom and Nature Day in April, there’s even more on the Animal Crossing calendar for players to enjoy this May.

There have been some changes to some of the May seasonal events in Animal Crossing since the game launched in March 2020. Nature Day, for example, no longer extends into May or offers any activities or events, but players had the chance to purchase the Cool Globe item from Nook Shopping in April. Additionally, the May Day Tour has been slightly different each year, offering a new maze for players to solve, as well as a new prize for those who had already received the prizes from previous years.

Players will also see new fish, bugs, and deep-sea creatures roaming their Animal Crossing island in May, giving them a chance to earn some Bells or make some donations to the Museum. Northern Hemisphere players will see eight new bugs and eight new fish, while Southern Hemisphere players will be able to catch three new bugs and five new fish. Some of Animal Crossing's more valuable sea creatures will be appearing this month as well, so it’s worth taking a dive around the ocean for a chance to catch these critters before the end of May.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons - All May 2022 Events

May Day Maze 2021 Animal Crossing New Horizons

Children’s Day: April 28 - May 5. The Carp Banner and Newsprint Helmet items are available from Nook Shopping.
May Day: May 1 - May 7. Complete the May Day Tour to earn another of Rover’s prizes.
Mother’s Day: Varies by region. The Thank-You Mom Mug and Carnations are available from Nook Shopping.
International Museum Day: May 18 - May 31. Complete the Museum’s Stamp Rally to earn gold museum plaques.
Cheese Rolling: May 22 - May 31. The Double Gloucester Cheese item is available from Nook Shopping.

Animal Crossing May Seasonal Items & DIY Recipes

Mushroom Season (Southern Hemisphere): May 1 - May 31. The Mushroom Wreath, Mush Wall, Mush Low Stool, Forest Wall, and Forest Flooring DIY recipes will be available, and players can gather mushrooms growing on the ground.
Maple Leaf Season (Southern Hemisphere): May 16 - May 25. The Maple-Leaf Umbrella, Maple-Leaf Pond Stone, Maple-Leaf Pochette, Leaf Stool, Autumn Wall, Colored-Leaves Flooring, Red-Leaf Pile, Tree’s Bounty Arch, and Tree’s Bounty Big Tree will be available for 10 days, and red maple leafs can be caught with a net.
Young Spring Bamboo Season (Northern Hemisphere): February 25 - May 31. Young Spring Bamboo can be gathered from Bamboo Trees to craft the Bamboo Doll, Bamboo Noodle Slide, Bamboo-Grove Wall, Bamboo-Shoot Lamp, Bamboo Wand, Light Bamboo Rug, Basket Pack, Steamer-Basket Pack, Green-Leaf Pile, and Pan Flute DIY recipes until the end of the month.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons - All New Bugs (May 2022)

May is a great time for bug-catching in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and some of the game’s more valuable bugs will be appearing this month. The Mole Cricket is the only bug leaving the Northern Hemisphere in May. However, the Southern Hemisphere will be saying goodbye to the Monarch Butterfly, Long Locust, Migratory Locust, Rice Grasshopper, Cricket, Mantis, Orchid Mantis, Violin Beetle, Walking Stick, and Flea at the end of the month.

Northern Hemisphere

Great Purple Emperor: can be found flying from 4am to 7pm, sells for 3,000 Bells.
Banded Dragonfly: can be found flying from 8am to 5pm, sells for 4,500 Bells.
Pondskater: found on ponds and rivers from 8am to 7pm, sells for 130 Bells.
Diving Beetle: found on ponds and rivers from 8am to 7pm, sells for 800 Bells.
Violin Beetle: appears on tree stumps at any time of day, sells for 450 Bells.
Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing: can be found flying from 8am to 4pm, sells for 4,000 Bells.
Rosalia Batesi Beetle: appears on tree stumps at any time of day, sells for 3,000 Bells.
Scorpion: can be found on the ground from 7pm to 4am, sells for 8,000 Bells.

Southern Hemisphere

Damselfly: can be found flying at any time of day, sells for 500 Bells.
Mole Cricket: hides underground, but can be found at any time of day. Sells for 500 Bells.
Tarantula: can be found on the ground from 7pm to 4am, sells for 8,000 Bells.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons - All New Fish (May 2022)

A player catches a Blue Marlin from the pier of her island in the rain in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

There will be quite a few fish worth catching in Animal Crossing: New Horizons this May. May is the last month to catch the valuable Oarfish and Golden Trout in the Northern Hemisphere, as well as the more common Loach. The Southern Hemisphere will lose the Cherry Salmon, Char, Golden Trout, Mitten Crab, Guppy, Neon Tetra, Sea Horse, Zebra Turkeyfish, Barred Knifejaw, and Ray when June arrives.

Northern Hemisphere

Frog: can be caught in ponds at any time of day, sells for 120 Bells.
Catfish: can be caught in ponds from 4pm to 9am, sells for 800 Bells.
Nibble Fish: appears in rivers from 9am to 4pm, sells for 1,500 Bells.
Angelfish: appears in rivers from 4pm to 9am, sells for 3,000 Bells.
Betta: can be caught in rivers from 9am to 4pm, sells for 2,500 Bells.
Rainbowfish: can be caught in rivers from 9am to 4pm, sells for 800 Bells.
Giant Trevally: can be caught from the pier at any time of day, sells for 4,500 Bells.
Mahi-mahi: can be caught from the pier at any time of day, sells for 6,000 Bells.

Southern Hemisphere

Bitterling: appears in rivers at any time of day, sells for 900 Bells.
Blowfish: can be caught in the sea from 9pm to 4am, sells for 5,000 Bells.
Tuna: can be caught from the pier at any time of day, sells for 7,000 Bells.
Blue Marlin: can be caught from the pier at any time of day, sells for 10,000 Bells.
Football Fish: appears in the sea from 4pm to 9am, sells for 2,500 Bells.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons - All New Sea Creatures (May 2022)

There are a handful of deep sea creatures coming and going in Animal Crossing this May. In the Northern Hemisphere, May is the last month to catch the Turban Shell, Umbrella Octopus, and Dungeness Crab. Players in the Southern Hemisphere will have until the end of the month to catch the Chambered Nautilus and Spotted Garden Eel before they leave for the season.