Planet Crafter: Insects Guide (2024)

Insects are the first sign of non-plant life.

With The Planet Crafter‘s release, terraformers can now introduce insect life to their planet.

Once your planet reaches the Insect stage of terraformation, you have a new dimension of biomass to start cultivating. TheInsect biomass unitis unlocked in the Insect stage and can only be incremented by introducing insect life into the environment. This task is accomplished by setting up machines that produce insect biomass modifiers.

In addition to the new biomass unit, you’ll notice larvae begin to appear throughout the planet. These small, sausage-like grubs come in three varieties: common, uncommon, and rare. On super rare occasions, you’ll even be able to find an exotic butterfly larva. Combined with the exotic butterfly larva and butterfly research, there are 19 speciesof butterflyin total to acquire in The Planet Crafter.

The larvae can spawn anywhere on the planet, including underwater, inside your base, on top of rocks, etc. Common larvae have a mottled tone about them and are easily differentiated from the uncommon and rare varieties. Uncommon larvae have a pronounced, darker head and a single-toned body, whereas rare larvae have a darker caramel color with brown accents. Each variety is worthwhile to collect, depending on the type of insect you are looking to produce.

Insect biomass machines and items

Terraformers can begin producing insect biomass by setting up abutterfly dome. The butterfly dome blueprint unlocks when plant biomass has reached 140t. This dome looks quite similar to the tree bark-producing biodome T2, but it does not produce anything. When you’ve acquired a butterfly larva, you can place it into the butterfly dome to produce insect biomass. Up to two butterfly larvae can be placed in the butterfly dome to receive the insect modifiers of both larvae.

Craft butterfly larva with the Incubator

When the Terraformation Index reaches 5 GTi, theIncubatorblueprint will unlock. This machine is used to craft butterfly larvae from the common, uncommon, and rare larvae found around the planet once the Insect stage has been reached.

Incubator blueprint

  • Tree bark x 1
  • Fertilizer T2 x 1
  • Super Alloy x 1
  • Oxygen capsule x 1

To use the Incubator for butterfly research, you’ll need fertilizer, mutagen, and a larva to experiment with. Both the mutagen and fertilizer can be made in the biolab. If you are familiar with using the DNA manipulator to craft tree seeds, the Incubator works similarly for insects. Place the components into the Incubator’s research inventory and press ‘research’ to begin researching a butterfly larva. The potential butterfly larva you’ll receive depends on the larva type you use and a bit of chance.

Butterfly farms, beehives, and outdoor farms

A handful of craftable machines are available to help you build the insect biomass unit. Thebutterfly farmproduces the largest insect modifier of the three at75/sand can have a butterfly larva inserted for an additional insect bonus.

Butterfly farm recipe

  • Fertilizer T2 x 1
  • Zeolite x 1
  • Bioplastic Nugget x 1

Next up is thebeehive, which adds a15/sinsect modifier. Beehives are a great machine to set up since they produce insect biomass and honey, which you can use for high-end food crafting. One tricky component to crafting a beehive is the bee larva, which itself is craftable only. You can overcome this challenge by crafting bee larvae from uncommon larvae as soon as you have the incubator recipe.

Beehive recipe

  • Bee Larva x 1
  • Super Alloy x 1
  • Fertilizer x 1
  • Bioplastic Nugget x 1

Finally, we have theoutdoor garden. This machine has the least insect output at8/s but can grow several veggies for you at a time. This can help you accelerate fertilizer production, which is needed to craft all larvae in the Incubator. Setting up a few outdoor gardens and planting eggplants will help kickstart the fertilizer farm you will need to terraform insects in earnest.

Outdoor Garden recipe

  • Bee Larva x 2
  • Water bottle x 1
  • Super Alloy x 1
  • Fertilizer x 1
  • Fertilizer T2 x 1

Planet Crafter butterfly larva

There are 19 different species of butterfly to collect in The Planet Crafter, and each type has varying bonuses to insect biomass. The introduced three butterflies with a significant boost to insect modifier to aid later insect biomass generation. Most butterfly larvae are crafted by the player using an Incubator. The following butterfly larvae are crafted using common larva:

  • Butterfly Azurae Larva: 120% modifier
  • Butterfly Empalio Larva: 120% modifier
  • Butterfly Leani Larva: 175% modifier
  • Butterfly Abstreus Larva: 175% modifier
  • Butterfly Galaxe Larva: 175% modifier
  • Butterfly Fensea Larva: 200% modifier

To get better insect biomass modifiers, players can craft additional butterflies fromrare larvae:

  • Butterfly Penga Larva: 230% modifier
  • Butterfly Chevrone Larva: 250% modifier
  • Butterfly Aemel Larva: 300% modifier
  • Butterfly Liux Larva: 500% modifier
  • Butterfly Imeo Larva: 1000% insect modifier
  • Butterfly Serena Larva: 1200% insect modifier

The remaining butterfly larvae are considered wild (or exotic) butterflies and can only be found as a ground spawn. These larvae can spawn in many locations, but some prefer to spawn in more specific biomes. The exotic butterfly larvae are as follows:

  • Butterfly Fiorente Larva: 600% modifier
  • Butterfly Lorpen Larva: 600% modifier
  • Butterfly Nere Larva: 600% modifier
  • Butterfly Alben Larva: 700% modifier
  • Butterfly Futura Larva: 800% modifier
  • Butterfly Faleria Larva: 1400% modifier
  • Butterfly Golden Larva: 1500% modifier

Silkworm and Bee Larva

In addition to butterflies, there are two additional larvae available to use in the Insect stage of terraformation that are required for machine crafting:

  • Bee Larva (uncommon larva)
  • Silkworm (uncommon larva)

Using the Incubator withuncommon larvae, you can produce bee and silkworm larvae. You cannot find silkworm or bee larvae; they are crafted only. Both the bee and silkworm insects are required to create special machines. Bees are necessary to make beehives and outdoor farms, while silkworms are used to create the silk generator.

Planet Crafter Bee larva recipe

The following is the blueprint recipe for crafting Bee Larva in the Incubator.

  • Uncommon Larva x 1
  • Mutagen x 1
  • Fertilizer x 1

Once you’ve crafted a Beehive T2, you’ll have a natural source of bee larva. This version of the beehive has an equal chance to produce honey as bee larvae.

Planet Crafter Silkworm Larva recipe

The following is the blueprint recipe for crafting one Silkworm Larva in the Incubator.

  • Uncommon Larva x 1
  • Bacteria Sample x 1
  • Fertilizer x 1

Unlike the Bee Larva, Silkworm Larva are never produced as a byproduct of a machine. Three silkworm larvae are needed to produce a Silk Generator, producing silk 100% of the time. If you intend on creating a silk farm, consider stockpiling uncommon larvae when you come across them to incubate the needed silkworms.

How to find rare exotic larvae in Planet Crafter

The exotic larvae, 5 in total, are incredibly rare spawning larvae. Many of these larvae seem to spawn in the newer biomes that emerged with the Insects & Waterfalls update, so the Meteor Fields, the Mushroom River, and the Giant Waterfall, but actually spawn in a variety of regions. Due to their rarity, you may never come across one casually.

Larvae, in general, will spawn within a close radius of you. So, if you run through an area, you will create a kind of larvae trail behind you. Armed with this concept, you can sweep an area and then backtrack over it to check if an exotic larva spawned. Be careful not to cover too much area or move too fast, or you may trigger larvae to despawn or miss potential larvae.

Butterfly Futura Larva

The Butterfly Futura Larva’sbright pinkluminous glow lends itself to being a product of theMushroom River. You can find this larva anywhere in the Mushroom River cavern, and because of its glow, it is fairly easy to spot during a quick sweep through the area. The Futura larva prefers to spawn only in the Mushroom River, unlike other exotics, which spawn in multiple biomes.

Butterfly Alben Larva

Alben Larva can be found in theWasteland, sometimes referred to as TheWhite Desert. Like the Futura larva, Alben prefers to spawn in just the Wasteland region and no other regions. This particular larvae can be tricky to find and has given many players a difficult time. We found success by keeping around the failed terraformer settlement and sweeping back and forth in the nearby area. The Alben larva is quite dark and will contrast with the light gray terrain of the Wastelands, so you should be able to sweep quite quickly through the area while keeping an eye out for adark bluish-blacklarva shape.

Butterfly Nere Larva

Butterfly Nere Larva is easily recognizable for itsbright-green and blackchrysalis. The Nere Larva spawns in theWaterfall biomeand will noticeably contrast against the sand if it spawns on the beach portion. It may be more challenging to spot if underwater, where visibility is lower, or on the grass where it blends in.

Butterfly Fiorente Larva

The Butterfly Fiorente Larva is another exotic larva that spawns in theWaterfall biome. Thisbrightpink and blacklarva can spawn in the exact location as the Nere Larva, including underwater. If searching underwater, keep an eye out for a larva with sharply-contrasting black and pinkish striping. We’ve experienced good spawn rates along the beach near the small inlet and under the water as well in this inlet for the Fiorente, Lorpen, and the Nere larvae.

Butterfly Lorpen Larva

Butterfly Lorpen is the third exotic butterfly that can spawn in multiple regions across the planet. One such location is theWaterfall biome. The Lorpen’sdark-blue and black stripedchrysalis contrasts easily with most terrain, especially sand, and can be easily noticed during the day.

The Nere, Fiorente, and Lorpen larvae can be found in additional locations to the Waterfall, including the Balcony (the small hidden area above the large Iridium cave), and some have reported seeing them spawn near the base of the Sand Falls. We preferred to hunt for these particular exotics at the Waterfalls area due to the relatively prefab-free terrain of the beach and especially under the water pool. Even at night, you can quickly see larva spawn and not mistake them for small rocks. This made larvae sweeping quick and productive.

Wrapping up our look at Planet Crafter’s insects and insect biomass

Reaching the Insects stage of terraformation is a big step in your planet’s evolution. Not only does this stage introduce a new unit that you will subsequently need to produce, but you are also introducing the first signs of life to your planet that aren’t plant-based. Building a collection of butterflies will beautify your planet and give you new goals to work toward in your terraformation journey.

Planet Crafter: Insects Guide (2024)

FAQs

How to get more insects in Planet Crafter? ›

After reaching the insects stage, players can collect larvae around the planet to produce butterflies, bees and silk worms. The larvae are quite small compared to most other resources, and can be found in most relatively-level terrain including under water.

What are the recipes for the butterflies in Planet Crafter? ›

All six common butterfly species use the same recipe: one common larva, one mutagen, and one fertilizer. The result players get is random, but any common larva can become an Azurae, an Empalio, a Leani, a Galaxe, an Abstreus, or a Fensea butterfly.

Why are insects important? ›

Whether they crawl, fly, squirm, or slither, insects get the job done: They maintain healthy soil, recycle nutrients, pollinate flowers and crops, and control pests. But by the end of the century, up to 40% of the world's insect species may go extinct owing in part to habitat loss.

How do insects recycle nutrients? ›

Many insects, especially beetles, are scavengers, feeding on dead animals and fallen trees, thereby recycling nutrients back into the soil. As decomposers, insects help create top soil, the nutrient-rich layer of soil that helps plants grow.

How do I get more bugs to spawn? ›

You can, however, create your own luck by scaring away the bugs you don't want to catch. Every island can only hold a certain number of bugs at one time; catching or scaring away bugs will cause new ones to spawn, some of which might be the bugs you're looking for.

How to get golden larva in Planet Crafter? ›

For now, though, go to the location you hope to find the golden larva, save, reload the save, slowly turn around and larvae will spawn - it was never a high chance to get a golden but pick up the ugly ones and more will spawn - until you have to save/load again.

What is the golden effigy for in Planet Crafter? ›

Golden effigies are less useful than golden seeds, but they're very collectible. Each golden crate has a unique effigy, which means players will find the same set of golden effigies in every playthrough.

How to get frog eggs in Planet Crafter? ›

The main way you find frog eggs in The Planet Crafter is by looking for natural frog ponds. At some point between the Fish and Amphibian terraformation stages, frogs will start to appear in these tiny ponds that dot the landscape. Look for a shallow collection of stones with a bit of water in the middle.

What is the largest insect on Earth? ›

The highest confirmed weight of an adult insect is 71 g (2.5 oz) for a gravid female giant weta, Deinacrida heteracantha, although it is likely one of the elephant beetles, Megasoma elephas and Megasoma actaeon, or goliath beetles, both of which can commonly exceed 50 g (1.8 oz) and 10 cm (3.9 in), can reach a greater ...

Are insects dying out? ›

Global estimates. A 2020 meta-analysis found that globally terrestrial insects appear to be declining in abundance at a rate of about 9% per decade, while the abundance of freshwater insects appears to be increasing by 11% per decade.

Can humans survive without insects? ›

Without insects, our lives would be vastly different. Insects pollinate many of our fruits, flowers, and vegetables. We would not have much of the produce that we enjoy and rely on without the pollinating services of insects, not to mention honey, beeswax, silk, and other useful products that insects provide.

Is a worm an insect or animal? ›

worm – an animal with a long, thin, round, or flat body with no legs. slug – a small land animal with a soft body and two tentacles with eyes. insect – a small animal with three body parts, two antennae, six legs, and a hard covering over its body.

What is the purpose of roaches? ›

Cockroaches are a food source for other animals, and they play an integral role in the release of nitrogen, which is used by plants. Without cockroaches, the plants would suffer, and plants produce oxygen and without air to breathe humans can't live.

What would happen if insects went extinct? ›

A world without bugs would mean fewer foods to eat, products to use and a huge decrease in scientific and medical discovery. It is not an overstatement to say that many aspects of human life would simply cease if insects disappeared from the planet.

How do you get more larva in planet Crafter? ›

Wild larvae (up to 16 at once) will spawn over time around the player's current location, so if hunting the rarer varieties, one should travel slowly and be patient.

How do you get more seeds in planet Crafter? ›

You can find more seed varieties as you explore and find chests. All see varieties are eventually found in chests all over the map under water and in caves. Some are in caves you need to melt the ice first to get to.

How long does it take to finish planet Crafter? ›

When focusing on the main objectives, The Planet Crafter is about 24½ Hours in length.

How do you spawn items in planet Crafter? ›

Pressing the hexagonal button spawns in the number of the object (if valid) and closes the GUI. Pressing the hexagonal button while holding down Left Shift tries to spawn the object(s) into the backpack first, and if / when the backpack is full, spawns the remaining objects in the world.

References

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