New Bugs, Fish, Sea Creatures In December For Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Northern & Southern Hemisphere)

Winter season is coming, so it’s time for a New Bugs, Fish, and Sea Creatures Arriving in December Guide for Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH)! We’ll tell you every new critter joining your island during December this month in both the Northern & Southern Hemispheres.
Each and every month in Animal Crossing: New Horizons brings a different set of fish or bug creatures that can appear on your Animal Crossing island depending on the current month from the real-time clock.
That means you can potentially discover some new fish, bugs, and sea creatures on your island to catch when December begins that weren’t previously available to catch during November! This guide is applicable for all years, including 2022.
So if you want to catch every single creature to complete your NookPhone’s Critterpedia for getting golden tool items and donate every critter to the Museum, it’s important to know which critters have arrived this month and make sure you catch them as soon as you can to get an early start.
This guide covers both the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere islands — you’ll find the Southern information below the Northern sections.
It’s a special month in the Northern Hemisphere as the Dung Beetle and Pond Smelt becomes available later this month when snow sticks to the ground! Meanwhile in the Southern Hemisphere, the Summer season has truly begun with plenty of sharks to catch, plus Summer Shells to collect.
Note that creatures are the same between 2020 – 2022, so you will see similar critters if you have played for a long time. This guide is written inclusive of no matter when someone may have started playing or taken a break, so repeats will show up sometimes!
What’s New To Do In December & Winter 2022 For Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Seasonal Items & Events) Christmas Toy Day Set Furniture Items at Nook’s CrannyNew Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bugs In December (Northern Hemisphere)
There are 3 brand new bugs and insects available to catch with a Net on your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island during the month of December!
The Dung Beetle requires snowballs on your island to appear, which only occurs after December 11th.
Please note that the list below only applies to the Northern Hemisphere — scroll down to see the Southern Hemisphere lists.
Emperor Butterfly
Hours
5PM to 8AMLocation
Flying (Flowers)Rarity
RareSell Price
4000 BellsRajah Brooke'S Birdwing
Hours
8AM to 5PMLocation
Flying (Flowers)Rarity
RareSell Price
2500 BellsDung Beetle
New Animal Crossing: New Horizons Fish In December (Northern Hemisphere)
There are 5 brand new fish available to catch with a Fishing Rod on your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island during the month of December!
Please note that the list below only applies to the Northern Hemisphere — scroll down to see the Southern Hemisphere lists.
Pond Smelt
Hours
All DayLocation
RiverShadow Size
SmallRarity
CommonSell Price
400 BellsStringfish
Hours
4PM to 9AMLocation
River (Clifftop)Shadow Size
Extra LargeRarity
Very RareSell Price
15000 BellsSea Butterfly
Hours
All DayLocation
OceanShadow Size
Very SmallRarity
CommonSell Price
1000 BellsSquid
Hours
All DayLocation
OceanShadow Size
MediumRarity
CommonSell Price
500 BellsOarfish
Hours
All DayLocation
OceanShadow Size
Super LargeRarity
Very RareSell Price
9000 BellsNew Animal Crossing: New Horizons Sea Creatures In December (Northern Hemisphere)
There’s only 1 brand new sea creatures available to catch with a Wet Suit on your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island during the month of December!
Please note that the list below only applies to the Northern Hemisphere — scroll down to see the Southern Hemisphere lists.
Lobster
Hours
All DayShadow Size
LargeSpeed
FastRarity
RareSell Price
4500 BellsNew Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bugs In December (Southern Hemisphere)
There are 6 brand new bug and insects available to catch with a Net on your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island during the month of December!
Please note that the list below only applies to the Southern Hemisphere — scroll up to see the Northern Hemisphere lists.
Emperor Butterfly
Hours
5PM to 8AMLocation
Flying (Flowers)Rarity
RareSell Price
4000 BellsFirefly
Hours
7PM to 4AMLocation
Flying (Water)Rarity
CommonSell Price
300 BellsDrone Beetle
Hours
All DayLocation
TreesRarity
CommonSell Price
200 BellsGoliath Beetle
Hours
5PM to 8AMLocation
Trees (Palm)Rarity
RareSell Price
8000 BellsRainbow Stag
Hours
7PM to 8AMLocation
TreesRarity
RareSell Price
6000 BellsMosquito
Hours
5PM to 4AMLocation
Flying (Flowers)Rarity
CommonSell Price
130 BellsNew Animal Crossing: New Horizons Fish In December (Southern Hemisphere)
There are 14 brand new fish available to catch with a Fishing Rod on your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island during the month of December!
Please note that the list below only applies to the Southern Hemisphere — scroll up to see the Northern Hemisphere lists.
Giant Snakehead
Hours
9AM to 4PMLocation
PondShadow Size
LargeRarity
RareSell Price
5500 BellsTilapia
Hours
All DayLocation
RiverShadow Size
MediumRarity
CommonSell Price
800 BellsPiranha
Hours
9AM to 4PM, 9PM to 4AMLocation
RiverShadow Size
SmallRarity
RareSell Price
2500 BellsArowana
Hours
4PM to 9AMLocation
RiverShadow Size
LargeRarity
RareSell Price
10000 BellsDorado
Hours
4AM to 9PMLocation
RiverShadow Size
Extra LargeRarity
RareSell Price
15000 BellsGar
Hours
4PM to 9AMLocation
PondShadow Size
Extra LargeRarity
RareSell Price
6000 BellsArapaima
Hours
4PM to 9AMLocation
RiverShadow Size
Super LargeRarity
Very RareSell Price
10000 BellsSaddled Bichir
Hours
9PM to 4AMLocation
RiverShadow Size
LargeRarity
Very RareSell Price
4000 BellsRibbon Eel
Hours
All DayLocation
OceanShadow Size
LongRarity
RareSell Price
600 BellsSaw Shark
Hours
4PM to 9AMLocation
OceanShadow Size
Large (Fin)Rarity
Very RareSell Price
12000 BellsHammerhead Shark
Hours
4PM to 9AMLocation
OceanShadow Size
Large (Fin)Rarity
Very RareSell Price
8000 BellsGreat White Shark
Hours
4PM to 9AMLocation
OceanShadow Size
Large (Fin)Rarity
RareSell Price
15000 BellsWhale Shark
Hours
All DayLocation
OceanShadow Size
Large (Fin)Rarity
Very RareSell Price
13000 BellsSuckerfish
Hours
All DayLocation
OceanShadow Size
Medium (Fin)Rarity
RareSell Price
1500 BellsNew Animal Crossing: New Horizons Sea Creatures In December (Southern Hemisphere)
There are 5 brand new sea creatures available to catch with a Wet Suit on your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island during the month of December!
Please note that the list below only applies to the Southern Hemisphere — scroll up to see the Northern Hemisphere lists.
Sea Grapes
Hours
All DayShadow Size
SmallSpeed
StillRarity
CommonSell Price
900 BellsMussel
Hours
All DayShadow Size
SmallSpeed
SlowRarity
CommonSell Price
1500 BellsAbalone
Hours
4PM to 9AMShadow Size
MediumSpeed
MediumRarity
UncommonSell Price
2000 BellsGazami Crab
Hours
All DayShadow Size
MediumSpeed
MediumRarity
CommonSell Price
2200 BellsTiger Prawn
Hours
4PM to 9AMShadow Size
SmallSpeed
MediumRarity
RareSell Price
3000 BellsStay tuned to Animal Crossing World for everything on Animal Crossing: New Horizons, including our extensive Guides section here. Our most popular pages include What’s New In December, Redd Art, Snowflake DIY Recipes, Build Perfect Snowboy, Christmas Ornament DIY, Toy Day Event, December Critters, Bush Types & Colors, Villager Houses, Sea Creatures, K.K. Slider Songs.
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