Swooping Snitchbug

From Pikmin Fanon
This article relates to the official games. See Pikipedia's "Swooping Snitchbug" article for more official information.
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Particularly: the Swooping Snitchbug's appearance in Hey! Pikmin.
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Swooping Snitchbug The icon used to represent this enemy.
Enemy
P3 Swooping Snitchbug.png
Appearance in Pikmin 3.
Scientific name Scarpanica kesperens
Family Scarpanid

Swooping Snitchbugs are legless, round, flying insects that have evolved wing-like antennae as a means of locomotion. Some Swooping Snitchbugs have glass-like eyes with pupils, but others have more realistic compound eyes. They swoop down, as their name suggests, and grab a maximum of two prey with their claws. After carrying them for a few seconds, they violently throw them towards the ground. This action would harm most prey, whereas Pikmin are simply replanted. Sometimes the affected Pikmin are reverted to their original leaf stage, and other times their maturity remains the same. Some Swooping Snitchbugs 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 will plummet to the ground if weighed down by a sufficient number of Pikmin, a single Purple Pikmin, or a single Rock Pikmin, or a similar Pikmin. This renders it susceptible to further attack.

Should the enemy throw a Yellow Pikmin that is holding a bomb rock, the bomb rock will explode, killing the Yellow Pikmin, all Pikmin caught in the blast, and likely itself too. Some Swooping Snitchbugs will carry only the bomb rock instead, and it throwing the bomb rock merely activates it instead of causing an immediate explosion. Although the creature is not as interested in killing Pikmin as much as it is chucking them, it may end up throwing a Pikmin at a hazard.

Swooping Snitchbugs can and will grab Pikmin from the leader's hand, if they are holding on to it before throwing. Different Swooping Snitchbugs have different methods of disposing of their prey if they have grabbed two victims; some will throw one down, and then throw the other one down after flying around for a bit; others will throw both of their victims to the ground at once.

In fanon games

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

In Pikmin 251

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Swooping Snitchbug The icon used to represent this enemy.
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 P2 Poko icon.png × 6
Attacks Kidnaps and throws Pikmin

In Pikmin 251, the Swooping Snitchbug behaves similarly to how it does in Pikmin 2. However, it now 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

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Swooping Snitchbug The icon used to represent this enemy.
P2 Swooping Snitchbug.png
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
Attacks Kidnaps and throws Pikmin and leaders

The Swooping Snitchbug returns in Pikmin Eco. It holds much of the same behaviors as it had in previous games: it will fly down and snatch up either the player or one of their 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 shown 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 Pikspore

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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!

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