Swooping Snitchbug

This article relates to the official games. See Pikipedia's "Swooping Snitchbug" article for more official information.

Swooping Snitchbug
Enemy
Appearance in Pikmin 4.
Scientific name	Scarpanica kesperens
Family	Scarpanid

The Swooping Snitchbug is a legless, round, flying insect that developed wing-like antennae as a means of locomotion. They swoop down, as their name suggests, and grab their prey with their claws, a maximum of two at once. They can grab Pikmin that are on the ground, in the air, and even from a leader's hand. After carrying them for a few seconds, they violently throw them towards the ground, either separately or both at once depending on the game. This action would harm most prey, whereas Pikmin are simply replanted, and in Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 2, reverted to the leaf stage. In Pikmin 3, they are also able to pick up leaders much like Bumbling Snitchbugs do; if they don't escape, they will be tossed to the ground and harmed. These creatures plummet to the ground when weighed down by a sufficient number of Pikmin or with a single Purple Pikmin, or struck by a single Rock Pikmin, rendering them susceptible to further attack.

In Hey! Pikmin, they will attempt to swoop straight down, grab Pikmin, and fly back up without coming back again, counting as a Pikmin death.

• 

  Appearance in Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 2 ().

• 

  Appearance in Pikmin 3 ().

• 

  Appearance in Hey! Pikmin ().

In fanon games

Below this point is where users place their version of the Swooping Snitchbug.}

In Pikmin 251

Pikmin 251 This article or section presents information pertaining to Pikmin 251, a Pikmin 2 ROM hack created by PikHacker.

Swooping Snitchbug
Scientific name	Unknown
Family	Scarpanid
Areas	Mystical Beach
Caves	Arachnid Asylum, Cryptic Kitchen, Endless Abyss, Doom Den, Perilous Pipeline
Challenge Mode stages	Perplexing Pool, Beverage Hall, Brick Workshop, Haunted Halls, The Gauntlet
Battle Mode stages	Perplexing Pool, Wistful Wild
Carry weight	5
Max. carriers	10
Seed worth	7
Poko value	× 6
Attacks	Kidnaps and throws Pikmin

In Pikmin 251, the Swooping Snitchbug behaves similarly to how it does in Pikmin 2, but flies farther away to bury captive Pikmin.

Notes

Olimar's observations

“This Snitchbug has grown quite skilled at swooping in on Pikmin and catching them off guard. It's important to keep an eye on them whenever they are even remotely nearby. Yet, I still don't understand what makes the Snitchbugs do this. If it's not for prey, why do they do it? For now, all I can do is make these minor studies about them.”

Cookin' with Louie

“I've written about these bugs before, but I have terribly underestimated the flavor potential of the wings! It turns out they make excellent chips with the dip of your choice!”

In Pikmin Eco

Pikmin Eco This article or section presents information pertaining to Pikmin Eco, a fanon game created by Sapphire7.

Swooping Snitchbug
Scientific name	Scarpanica kesperens
Family	Scarpanid
Areas	Bounty Canopy
Caves	Bone Cove, Sea Geyser, Rooster's Nest, Greenery Grove, Explorer's Exit
Carry weight	3
Max. carriers	6
Seed worth	4
Poko value	× 4
Attacks	Kidnaps and throws Pikmin and leaders

The Swooping Snitchbug returns in Pikmin Eco. It retains many of its past behaviors: it will fly down and snatch up either a leader or a Pikmin, carry them around for a while, and then throw them harshly at the ground.

Notes

In-game entry

“Evolved to fly with their antennae, the Swooping Snitchbug is a common sight in heavily forested areas. Intriguingly, they've been observed with their young, which aren't able to fly, but at times the adults will attack and eat their own young. At first, this is thought to classify the species as cannibalistic, but later studies show that they're actually hunting Grabbits, and don't show this behavior to their own young despite how similar they appear. This shows a level of intelligence to differentiate between the two that begs further study.”

In Pikmin: Decayed Leaf

"You… your evil subordinate, your greedy boss, and this invasive Pikmin infestation will all die here TODAY!!" This article or section presents information pertaining to Pikmin: Decayed Leaf, a fanon game created by Soundwave.

Swooping Snitchbug
Scientific name	Scarpanica kesperens
Family	Scarpanid
Carry weight	3
Max. carriers	6
Seed worth	4
Poko value	× 2
Attacks	Kidnaps and throws Pikmin

The Swooping Snitchbug is a returning species of scarpanid in Pikmin: Decayed Leaf. The creature resembles its Pikmin 4 incarnation, and retains its behavior of swooping to grab up to 2 Pikmin before planting them into the ground, deflowering them. However, it has a few new traits: it will refrain from planting Pikmin in places where captains can not reach them, and will also fly a bit lower than usual depending on the Pikmin it caught, like a Purple Pikmin. If weighed down enough, a normal throw from a non-Yellow Pikmin can force the Snitchbug to the ground. Iguana Pikmin can also latch onto the creature from afar with their tongues to weigh it down.

In Pikspore

Pikspore This article or section presents information pertaining to Pikspore, a fanon game created by DrTapeworm.

Swooping Snitchbug
Scientific name	Unknown
Family	Scarpanid
Attacks	Kidnaps and throws Pikmin

The Swooping Snitchbug appears in Pikspore, and has a darkfreeze variant known as the Darkfreeze Snitchbug.

Notes

Ship's log

“If there's one thing I hate the most on this strange planet, it's the insects. Wretched, bloodthirsty insects! This flying predator is no exception!”

---