#0015 · Kanto · Generation 1

Beedrill

Poison Bee Pokémon · Bug/Poison-type

Beedrill is a Bug/Poison-type Pokémon, the Poison Bee Pokémon, number 15 (#0015) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 1 m tall and weighs 29.5 kg.

Beedrill is the Poison Bee Pokémon, a fiercely territorial Bug and Poison type with three venomous stingers. Annoy one and the whole swarm attacks, and the Pokédex says nobody should go near its nest.

How to pronounce Beedrill

Beedrill is pronounced BEE-dril. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Beedrill said out loud:

In Japanese it is スピアー (Spear).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Beedrill is a yellow wasp-like Pokémon, 1.0 m tall and 29.5 kg, with large red eyes, bent black antennae, two long stingers on its forelegs and a third on its striped abdomen. It stands on two segmented legs and flies on four rounded, veined wings. The Pokédex says the stinger on its tail carries the strongest poison.

Behaviour

Beedrill is quick to anger, and Bulbapedia says disturbing one makes the whole group attack. The Pokédex says its favourite tactic is to dive in at high speed, stab with its needles and fly off again. Unlike real bees, Bulbapedia says, nothing confirms that Beedrill live in true hives or under a queen.

Habitat

The Pokédex says forests, and Bulbapedia adds misty wooded areas. In Legends: Z-A it appears across Lumiose City's districts and in Wild Zone 15.

Diet

It stabs prey with its stingers and carries it back to its nest to eat, according to the Crystal Pokédex.

Powers

Swarm boosts its Bug moves when its HP runs low, and the hidden Ability Sniper strengthens critical hits. Twineedle was its signature move before Generation V. Beedrillite lets it Mega Evolve: Mega Beedrill has Adaptability, six wings and lance-like stingers, using fast-acting leg poison to stop prey fleeing before the slow tail poison finishes the job. Base Attack rises from 90 to 150 and Speed from 75 to 145.

Name origin

Beedrill may combine 'bee' and 'drill'. The Japanese name is Spear (スピアー), literally a spear; Bulbapedia notes it may also be アピス (Apis, the honey bee genus) spelled backwards.

Design inspiration

Atsuko Nishida designed Beedrill and its pre-evolutions, according to a Game Freak interview, and Hitoshi Ariga designed Mega Beedrill, according to his own tweet. Beedrill looks like a bee or wasp, possibly modelled on the Japanese honey bee, a giant hornet or a yellowjacket, and its spear-like arms become lances as a Mega.

Evolution notes

Beedrill is the end of Weedle's line: Kakuna evolves into it at level 10, and it has no further evolution or regional form.

In the games

A rogue Mega Beedrill is a boss fight in Legends: Z-A, where Beedrill itself is in the base game (Lumiose Pokédex number 20) and the Mega Dimension DLC adds it to Hyperspace Lumiose. It first appeared in Red and Green (Red and Blue outside Japan), and Mega Beedrill first appeared in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Scarlet and Violet.

In the anime

In 'Challenge of the Samurai', a swarm fresh from evolving carried off Ash's Metapod to avenge a startled Weedle. Ash caught one in 'The Bug Stops Here' and handed it to Casey, and a mind-controlled Mega Beedrill fought Ash's and Clemont's Pokémon in 'Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel'.

Fun facts

• No other Mega Evolution loses Special Attack: Mega Beedrill's falls from 45 to 15.
• In the first Super Smash Bros., a Poké Ball released a Beedrill that returned with a swarm to hit everyone but the user with Take Down; Unown replaced it in Melee.
• In the Red and Green beta its English name was Beedril.
• Bulbapedia notes that Pokémon Conquest features Beedrill alone, without Weedle or Kakuna.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Beedrill (Pokémon) · Serebii: Beedrill (Scarlet/Violet and Legends: Z-A Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 65
• Attack: 90
• Defense: 40
• Sp. Atk: 45
• Sp. Def: 80
• Speed: 75

Beedrill’s base stat total is 395. Its highest stat is Attack.

Type matchups

What is Beedrill weak to?

Beedrill takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Flying (2×), Psychic (2×), Rock (2×) moves.

It resists Grass (¼×), Fighting (¼×), Poison (½×), Bug (½×), Fairy (½×).

Evolution

What does Beedrill evolve from?

Beedrill evolves from Kakuna at level 10.

Beedrill is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill.

• Weedle evolves into Kakuna at level 7.

Forms

• Mega Beedrill (Mega): Bug/Poison-type, base stat total 495 (HP 65, Attack 150, Defense 40, Sp. Atk 15, Sp. Def 80, Speed 145). Ability: Adaptability.

Abilities

• Swarm: Strengthens Bug moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
• Sniper (hidden ability): Strengthens critical hits to inflict 3× damage rather than 2×.

Moves

Moves Beedrill learns by level up in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon

“Evo” means Beedrill learns the move the moment it evolves: Twineedle.

TM moves (33)

Beedrill can learn 33 moves from TMs in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon: Toxic, Venoshock, Hidden Power, Sunny Day, Hyper Beam, Protect, Roost, Frustration, Solar Beam, Return, Brick Break, Double Team, Sludge Bomb, Aerial Ace, Facade, Rest, Attract, Thief, Round, False Swipe, Brutal Swing, Acrobatics, Payback, Giga Impact, Swords Dance, X-Scissor, Infestation, Poison Jab, Swagger, Sleep Talk, U-turn, Substitute, Confide.

Move tutor moves (11): Bug Bite, Defog, Drill Run, Electroweb, Endeavor, Giga Drain, Knock Off, Laser Focus, Snore, Tailwind, Throat Chop.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Bug.
• Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Attack and 1 Sp. Def effort values.
• Base experience yield: 178.

Pokédex entries

It has three poisonous stingers on its forelegs and its tail. They are used to jab its enemy repeatedly. (X, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

Beedrill is extremely territorial. No one should ever approach its nest - this is for their own safety. If angered, they will attack in a furious swarm. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

May appear in a swarm. Flies at violent speeds, all the while stabbing with the toxic stinger on its rear. (FireRed, Y)

Its best attack involves flying around at high speed, striking with poison needles, then flying off. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)

It has three poison barbs. The barb on its tail secretes the most powerful poison. (Silver, SoulSilver)

It can take down any opponent with its powerful poison stingers. It sometimes attacks in swarms. (Gold, HeartGold)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 47% of all Pokémon (1 m).
• Heavier than 51% of all Pokémon (29.5 kg).
• Base stat total 395, ranked #640 of 1,025.
• One of 12 Pokémon that are both Bug and Poison.
• One of 88 yellow Pokémon.
• Number 15 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 54 different moves in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Has 1 alternate form.
• Appears in 11 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Beedrill (Pokémon), Serebii: Beedrill (Scarlet/Violet and Legends: Z-A Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (BEE-dril): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Bug-type Pokémon · Poison-type Pokémon · Bug/Poison weaknesses and matchups · Kanto region guide · Swarm ability · Sniper ability · Compare Beedrill · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

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Gen 1 Bug-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Poison-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Yellow Pokémon list · Bug egg group · Pokémon that start with B · Bug Pokémon · Bee and Wasp Pokémon

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