Caterpie
Caterpie is a Bug-type Pokémon, the Worm Pokémon, number 10 (#0010) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 0.3 m tall and weighs 2.9 kg.
Caterpie is the Worm Pokémon, a tiny Bug type that drives off attackers with a stench from its red antenna, though the Pokédex admits birds still eat it. It is easy to catch and grows fast, so beginners are told to start with one.
How to pronounce Caterpie
Caterpie is pronounced KAT-er-pee. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Caterpie said out loud:
In Japanese it is キャタピー.
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Caterpie is a caterpillar, green above with a yellow belly, 0.3 m tall and 2.9 kg. Eye-like markings scare off predators, and four short feet with suction cups let it climb walls and trees. It sheds its skin repeatedly as it grows, then wraps itself in silk to become a cocoon.
Behaviour
Caterpie hides among leaves of its own colour and defends itself with a horrible stink from its antenna. In the anime it also spits silk to tangle opponents, and in Pokémon Sleep it sometimes drools silk instead of saliva.
Habitat
The Pokédex habitat list puts Caterpie in forests, and Bulbapedia describes temperate forests and jungles. In the games it is a Viridian Forest regular in Kanto and appears on Route 1 in Galar.
Diet
Leaves: the Pokédex says it eats about a hundred a day and will take on leaves bigger than itself.
Powers
Caterpie starts with Tackle and String Shot, which slows its target, and learns Bug Bite at level 9. Shield Dust blocks the extra effects of incoming moves, and the hidden Ability Run Away guarantees escape from wild battles. Its base stats total just 195, joint lowest in Generation I.
Name origin
Caterpie may be a shortening of 'caterpillar', or an English spelling of its Japanese name, whose ending (ぴー, pī) can express affection. The Japanese name is Caterpie (キャタピー).
Design inspiration
Caterpie is based on a caterpillar, and Bulbapedia suggests a swallowtail larva in particular, as the green body, yellow spots and red horn all fit. This is a fan reading.
Evolution notes
Caterpie evolves into Metapod at level 7, the earliest any Pokémon evolves by levelling up, shared with Weedle and Wurmple. Metapod becomes Butterfree at level 10.
In the games
Caterpie is the Pokémon rescued on the first mission of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team. It first appeared in Red and Green (Red and Blue outside Japan) and can be caught in Sword and Shield, but Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Scarlet and Violet and in Legends: Z-A.
In the anime
Ash's Caterpie debuted in 'Pokémon Emergency!' and was his first wild catch, in 'Ash Catches a Pokémon', evolving into Metapod in the same episode. Goh also caught a Caterpie, in 'Working My Way Back to Mew!'.
Fun facts
- In the Red and Green beta its English name was Catterp.
- Until Platinum let it learn Bug Bite, Caterpie could not hurt a Ghost type except with Struggle, so Bulbapedia says a Generation I game could not be finished with only Caterpie or Metapod.
- In the anime's early episodes its mouth was coloured yellow by mistake; it first turned green in 'Wings 'N' Things'.
Base stats
- HP: 45
- Attack: 30
- Defense: 35
- Sp. Atk: 20
- Sp. Def: 20
- Speed: 45
Caterpie’s base stat total is 195. Its highest stat is HP and Speed.
Type matchups
What is Caterpie weak to?
Caterpie takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Flying (2×), Rock (2×) moves.
It resists Grass (½×), Fighting (½×), Ground (½×).
Evolution
How does Caterpie evolve?
Caterpie evolves into Metapod at level 7.
The whole family: Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree.
- Metapod evolves into Butterfree at level 10.
Abilities
- Shield Dust: Protects against incoming moves' extra effects.
- Run Away (hidden ability): Ensures success fleeing from wild battles.
Moves
Moves Caterpie learns by level up in Sword / Shield
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 1 | String Shot | Bug | Status | — |
| 9 | Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 |
TM moves (1)
Caterpie can learn 1 move from TMs in Sword / Shield: Electroweb.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
- Egg groups: Bug.
- Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
- Catch rate: 255 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 1 HP effort value.
- Base experience yield: 39.
Pokédex entries
Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls. (Red, Blue, LeafGreen, Shield)
For protection, it releases a horrible stench from the antenna on its head to drive away enemies. (Gold, Sword)
If you touch the feeler on top of its head, it will release a horrible stink to protect itself. (Yellow, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)
Its body is soft and weak. In nature, its perpetual fate is to be seen by others as food. (Ultra Moon)
Perhaps because it would like to grow up quickly, it has a voracious appetite, eating a hundred leaves a day. (Ultra Sun)
It's easy to catch, and it grows quickly, making it one of the top recommendations for novice Pokémon Trainers. (Moon)
Names around the world
| Japanese | キャタピー |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Caterpie |
| French | Chenipan |
| German | Raupy |
| Spanish | Caterpie |
| Italian | Caterpie |
| Korean | 캐터피 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 绿毛虫 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 綠毛蟲 |
Trivia
- Lowest base stat total among Gen 1 Pokémon: 195, shared with 1 other.
- Lightest Bug type in Gen 1: 2.9 kg.
- Shortest Bug type in Gen 1: 0.3 m, shared with 2 others.
- Lowest base stat total among Bug types in Gen 1: 195, shared with 1 other.
- Taller than 4% of all Pokémon (0.3 m).
- Heavier than 10% of all Pokémon (2.9 kg).
- Base stat total 195, ranked #1017 of 1,025.
- One of 92 Bug-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 130 green Pokémon.
- Number 10 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
- Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
- Can learn 4 different moves in Sword / Shield.
- Catch rate 255: about 33.3% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 14 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: Caterpie (Pokémon), Serebii: Caterpie (Sword/Shield Pokédex; page not found in the Scarlet and Violet Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (KAT-er-pee): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Bug-type Pokémon · Kanto region guide · Shield Dust ability · Run Away ability · Compare Caterpie · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
Browse similar Pokémon
Gen 1 Bug-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Green Pokémon list · Bug egg group · Pokémon that start with C · Bug Pokémon · Butterfly and Moth Pokémon