Caterpie

キャタピー Kyatapii

Generation

Generation I

Pokédex

Index

Central Kalos

N/A

023

Evolves

From

None

Into

Metapod

Footprint

Cry

Caterpie (キャタピー Kyatapii) is a Bug-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I.

Biology

Physiology

Caterpie is a worm-like Pokémon that is mainly green in color with a tan underside. Just below its head are four, tiny legs that are used only for movement. On top of its head is a red, "y-shaped" antenna, which can be used to produce an odor used in self-defense, in case something tries to hurt it.

Special abilities

Caterpie has the ability Shield Dust, which negates all status effects that are side effects of other moves. When threatened, it can release a strong odor from its antenna, which it uses to ward off predators. A ravenous Caterpie can quickly gobble up leaves that are much bigger than itself.

Evolution

Caterpie evolves into Metapod starting at level 7, which evolves into Butterfree starting at level 10.

Game info

Locations

Locations
Version(s)	Area(s)	Rarity
Red and Blue	Viridian Forest, Route 25 Route 2, 24(Blue only)	Uncommon(Red) Common
Yellow	Viridian Forest	Common
Gold and Silver	National Park Ilex Forest, Route 2, 30, 31, Trees(Gold only) Bug-Catching Contest(Silver only)	Common(Gold) Uncommon(Silver)
Crystal	Ilex Forest, National Park, Route 2, 24, 25, 30, 31	Rare
Ruby and Sapphire	Trade	None
FireRed and LeafGreen	Viridian Forest, Pattern Bush, Route 2, 24, 25	Rare
Emerald	Trade	None
Diamond and Pearl	Route 204	Dongle (FireRed)
Platinum	Eterna Forest, Route 204	Dongle (FireRed)
HeartGold and SoulSilver	Route 2, 30, 31, National Park, Ilex Forest, Viridian Forest, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt trees	Common
Black and White	Trade from White (Black only) Breed Caterpie or Metapod (White Version only)	None
Black 2 and White 2	Trade from White 2 (Black 2 only) Breed Butterfree (White 2 only)	None
X and Y	Santalune Forest	Common
Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire	Trade	None
Sun and Moon	Route 1	Common
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon	Route 1, Melemele Meadow, Route 5	Common
Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!	Route 2, Viridian Forest	Common
Sword and Shield	Galar Route 1 Max Raid Battles: Bridge Field, Dappled Grove, Rolling Fields, South Lake Miloch	Common

Spin-off game locations

Locations
Game(s)	Area(s)
Pokémon Channel	Viridian Forest
Pokémon Trozei!	Phobos Train, Trozei Battle, Endless Level 9, Mr. Who's Den
Red Rescue Team & Blue Rescue Team	Wish Cave (2-4F)
Explorers of Time & Explorers of Darkness	Apple Woods (1-4F), Oran Forest (1-4F)
Pokémon Rumble	Silent Forest
PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure	Meadow Zone

Pokédex entries

Red and Blue
Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls.
Yellow
If you touch the feeler on top of its head, it will release a horrible stink to protect itself.
Gold
For protection, it releases a horrible stench from the antennae on its head to drive away enemies.
Silver
Its feet have suction cups designed to stick to any surface. It tenaciously climbs trees to forage.
Crystal
It crawls into foliage where it camouflages itself among leaves that are the same color as its body.
Ruby
Caterpie has a voracious appetite. It can devour leaves bigger than its body right before your eyes. From its antenna, this Pokémon releases a terrifically strong odor.
Sapphire
Caterpie has a voracious appetite. It can devour leaves bigger than its body right before your eyes. From its antenna, this Pokémon releases a terrifically strong odor.
FireRed
It is covered with a green skin. When it grows, it sheds the skin, covers itself with silk, and becomes a cocoon.
LeafGreen
Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls.
Emerald
Its voracious appetite compels it to devour leaves bigger than itself without hesitation. It releases a terribly strong odor from its antennae.
Diamond
It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
Pearl
It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
Platinum
It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
HeartGold
For protection, it releases a horrible stench from the antennae on its head to drive away enemies.
SoulSilver
Its feet have suction cups designed to stick to any surface. It tenaciously climbs trees to forage.
Black
It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
White
It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
Black 2
It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
White 2
It releases a stench from its red antenna to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
X
For protection, it releases a horrible stench from the antennae on its head to drive away enemies.
Y
Its feet have suction cups designed to stick to any surface. It tenaciously climbs trees to forage.
Omega Ruby
Caterpie has a voracious appetite. It can devour leaves bigger than its body right before your eyes. From its antenna, this Pokémon releases a terrifically strong odor.
Alpha Sapphire
Caterpie has a voracious appetite. It can devour leaves bigger than its body right before your eyes. From its antenna, this Pokémon releases a terrifically strong odor.
Sun
When attacked by bird Pokémon, it resists by releasing a terrifically strong odor from its antennae, but it often becomes their prey.
Moon
It's easy to catch, and it grows quickly, making it one of the top recommendations for novice Pokémon Trainers.
Ultra Sun
Perhaps because it would like to grow up quickly, it has a voracious appetite, eating a hundred times a day.
Ultra Moon
Its body is soft and weak. In nature, its perpetual fate is to be seen by others as food.
Let's Go, Pikachu!
If you touch the feeler on top of its head, it will release a horrible stink to protect itself.
Let's Go, Eevee!
If you touch the feeler on top of its head, it will release a horrible stink to protect itself.
Sword
For protection, it releases a horrible stench from the antenna on its head to drive away enemies.
Shield
Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls.

Stats

Caterpie's Stats
HP	45
Attack	30
Defense	35
Sp. Atk	20
Sp. Def	20
Speed	45
Total	195

Learnset

By leveling up

LevelingGeneration VIII
Level	Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Category
1	Tackle	40	100%	35	Normal	Physical
1	String Shot	—	95%	40	Bug	Status
9	Bug Bite	60	100%	20	Bug	Physical
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

LevelingGeneration VII
Level	Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Category
1	Tackle	40	100%	35	Normal	Physical
1	String Shot	—	95%	40	Bug	Status
9	Bug Bite	60	100%	20	Bug	Physical
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

LevelingGeneration VI
Level	Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Category	Contest Category	Appeal	Jam
1	Tackle	50	100%	35	Normal	Physical		4 ♥	0 ♥
1	String Shot	—	95%	40	Bug	Status		2 ♥	3 ♥
15	Bug Bite	60	100%	20	Bug	Physical		3 ♥	0 ♥
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

LevelingGeneration V
Level	Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Category
1	Tackle	50	100%	35	Normal	Physical
1	String Shot	—	95%	40	Bug	Status
15	Bug Bite	60	100%	20	Bug	Physical
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

LevelingGeneration IV
Level	Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Category	Contest Category	Appeal
1	Tackle	35	95%	35	Normal	Physical		3 ♥
1	String Shot	—	95%	40	Bug	Status		2 ♥
15	Bug Bite	60	100%	20	Bug	Physical		0 ♥
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

LevelingGeneration III
Level	Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Contest Category	Appeal	Jam
1	Tackle	35	95%	35	Normal		4 ♥	0 ♥
1	String Shot	—	95%	40	Bug		2 ♥	3 ♥
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

LevelingGeneration II
Level	Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type
1	Tackle	35	95%	35	Normal
1	String Shot	—	95%	40	Bug
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

LevelingGeneration I
Level	Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type
1	Tackle	35	95%	35	Normal
1	String Shot	—	95%	40	Bug
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

By TM/HM

Generation VIII
Machine	Move	Type	Category	Power	Accuracy	PP
TM82	Electroweb		Special	55	95%	15
Bold indicates that this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates that an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

Caterpie learns no moves via TM/HM.

By breeding

Caterpie learns no moves via breeding.

By tutoring

Tutoring Generation VII
Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Category
Bug Bite ^USUM	60	100%	20	Bug	Physical
Electroweb ^USUM	55	95%	15	Electric	Special
Snore ^USUM	55	100%	15	Normal	Special
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

Tutoring Generation VI
Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Category	Contest Category	Appeal	Jam
Bug Bite ^ORAS	60	100%	20	Bug	Physical		3 ♥	0 ♥
Electroweb ^ORAS	55	95%	15	Electric	Special		2 ♥	1 ♥
Snore ^ORAS	50	100%	15	Normal	Special		3 ♥	0 ♥
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

Tutoring Generation V
Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Category
Bug Bite ^B2W2	60	100%	20	Bug	Physical
Electroweb ^B2W2	55	95%	15	Electric	Special
Snore ^B2W2	40	100%	15	Normal	Special
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

Tutoring Generation IV
Move	Power	Accuracy	PP	Type	Category	Contest Category	Appeal
Bug Bite ^HGSS	60	100%	20	Bug	Physical		0 ♥
Snore ^HGSSPt	40	100%	15	Normal	Special		3 ♥
String Shot ^HGSS	—	95%	40	Bug	Status		2 ♥
Bold indicates this Pokémon receives STAB from this move. Italic indicates an evolved or alternate form of this Pokémon receives STAB from this move.

Sprites

Appearances

Anime

Ash's Caterpie.
Goh's Caterpie.

Main article: Butterfree (anime)

Though Caterpie has quite a few cameos, the only time one of the main characters owned one was when Ash had caught a Caterpie in the episode Ash Catches a Pokémon, being the first Pokémon he ever caught. During the same episode, Caterpie evolved into a Metapod. A few episodes later, his Metapod evolved into a Butterfree.

Trivia

Caterpie, along with Weedle and Wurmple take the least amount of levels to evolve, with 7.
Caterpie shares the same species name with Wurmple called the Worm Pokémon.
Caterpie has the same cry as Goldeen's in the Generation 1 and 2 games, probably because of the Game Boy's limited space.
Caterpie is the first Pokémon to be seen evolving in the anime.

Origin

Caterpie is a stylized caterpillar, most resembling an Asian swallowtail. Its "antenna" is an osmeterium, an organ unique to swallowtail caterpillars which, like Caterpie, they use to emit a foul odor. The tip of Caterpie's tail resembles the horn at the rear end of most species of hawk moth larvae.

Etymology

Caterpie's name appears to be based on caterpillar.