#0414 · Sinnoh · Generation 4

Mothim

Moth Pokémon · Bug/Flying-type

Mothim is a Bug/Flying-type Pokémon, the Moth Pokémon, number 414 (#0414) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 4 and comes from the Sinnoh region. It is 0.9 m tall and weighs 23.3 kg.

Mothim loves honey but, says the Pokédex, would rather steal it from Combee than gather any itself. Every Mothim is male, the counterpart of the female-only Wormadam.

How to pronounce Mothim

Mothim is pronounced MOTH-im. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Mothim said out loud:

In Japanese it is ガーメイル (Gamale).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Mothim is a moth with two pairs of tan wings, each marked with an orange oval, and orange eyes. Its body is black with an orange underside and a grey stripe down its back. It is 0.9 m tall and weighs 23.3 kg. The Pokédex says beating its wings scatters steel-coloured scales.

Behaviour

Mothim is nomadic and nocturnal, always on the move, and the Pokédex says it keeps no nest. Although it feeds mainly on flower nectar, the Legends: Arceus entry says it is rarely spotted near flower gardens.

Habitat

The Pokédex has it flying over fields and mountains. In Legends: Arceus it is found in the Obsidian Fieldlands, the Cobalt Coastlands and the Coronet Highlands, with Alpha Mothim at Spring Path and Wayward Wood. It is not available in Scarlet and Violet.

Diet

It loves flower honey and nectar, and instead of gathering honey itself, Bulbapedia says, it raids the hives of Combee.

Powers

Its Abilities are Swarm and, hidden, Tinted Lens. In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon it adds Silver Wind at level 38, Air Slash at 41, Psychic at 44 and Bug Buzz at 50. With equal Attack and Special Attack and a Speed of 66, it is a mixed attacker.

Name origin

Mothim may combine 'moth' and 'him', and may also involve 'nim', an old word meaning to steal. The Japanese name is Gamale (ガーメイル), possibly from 蛾 ga ('moth') and 'male', with a pun on gameru ('to pilfer').

Design inspiration

Mothim appears to be a fully grown male bag moth. Bulbapedia also suggests its honey-stealing may recall a hawk moth, perhaps the lesser death's head hawkmoth, nicknamed the 'bee robber'.

Evolution notes

Mothim evolves from a male Burmy at level 20, whichever cloak Burmy was wearing.

In the games

Mothim is one of Burmy's two final forms, introduced in Diamond and Pearl. It appears in Legends: Arceus but is not available in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Cheryl's Mothim evolved from her Burmy in 'Some Enchanted Sweetening!' and helped her search for the Amber Castle. In 'Leading a Stray!', a crowd of Mothim help a Luxio rescue a Wailmer stuck in the sewers.

Fun facts

• Every Mothim looks the same, but Bulbapedia says its data technically records one of three forms matching the cloak of the Burmy it came from.
• In Pokémon Adventures, two Roughnecks on Iron Island, hired by Team Galactic to stir up trouble, use a Mothim and a Vespiquen.
• Its base Attack of 94 is the highest of any Bug type in Generation IV.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Mothim (Pokémon) · Serebii: Mothim (Sword/Shield Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 70
• Attack: 94
• Defense: 50
• Sp. Atk: 94
• Sp. Def: 50
• Speed: 66

Mothim’s base stat total is 424. Its highest stat is Attack and Sp. Atk.

Type matchups

What is Mothim weak to?

Mothim takes extra damage from Rock (4×), Fire (2×), Electric (2×), Ice (2×), Flying (2×) moves.

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

It is immune to Ground moves.

Evolution

What does Mothim evolve from?

Mothim evolves from Burmy at level 20 (male).

Mothim is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Burmy, Wormadam, Mothim.

• Burmy evolves into Wormadam at level 20 (female). Female Burmy only. Wormadam keeps the cloak Burmy had: Plant, Sandy or Trash.

Abilities

• Swarm: Strengthens Bug moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
• Tinted Lens (hidden ability): Doubles damage inflicted with not-very-effective moves.

Moves

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

“Evo” means Mothim learns the move the moment it evolves: Quiver Dance.

TM moves (32)

Mothim can learn 32 moves from TMs in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon: Toxic, Venoshock, Hidden Power, Sunny Day, Hyper Beam, Protect, Rain Dance, Roost, Safeguard, Frustration, Solar Beam, Return, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Double Team, Aerial Ace, Facade, Rest, Attract, Thief, Round, Energy Ball, Acrobatics, Giga Impact, Psych Up, Infestation, Dream Eater, Swagger, Sleep Talk, U-turn, Substitute, Confide.

Move tutor moves (8): Bug Bite, Defog, Electroweb, Giga Drain, Signal Beam, Skill Swap, Snore, Tailwind.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 100% male, 0% 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 1 Attack and 1 Sp. Atk effort values.
• Base experience yield: 148.

Pokédex entries

Scatters steel-colored scales as it flaps its wings. Despite being observed feeding primarily on the nectar of flowers, Mothim is not often seen around flower gardens. (Legends: Arceus)

It flutters around at night and steals honey from the Combee hive. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, Y, Alpha Sapphire)

It loves the honey of flowers and steals honey collected by Combee. (Diamond, X, Omega Ruby)

While it loves floral honey, it won't gather any itself. Instead, it plots to steal some from Combee. (Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)

It does not keep a nest. It flies over fields and mountains in constant search of floral honey. (Pearl)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Highest Attack among Bug types in Gen 4: 94.
• Taller than 43% of all Pokémon (0.9 m).
• Heavier than 46% of all Pokémon (23.3 kg).
• Base stat total 424, ranked #558 of 1,025.
• One of 13 Pokémon that are both Bug and Flying.
• One of 88 yellow Pokémon.
• Number 28 of 107 Pokémon introduced in Generation 4 (Sinnoh).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 51 different moves in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 5 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: Mothim (Pokémon), Serebii: Mothim (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (MOTH-im): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Bug-type Pokémon · Flying-type Pokémon · Bug/Flying weaknesses and matchups · Sinnoh region guide · Swarm ability · Tinted Lens ability · Compare Mothim · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 4 Bug-type Pokémon · Gen 4 Flying-type Pokémon · Gen 4 Pokémon list · Yellow Pokémon list · Bug egg group · Pokémon that start with M · Bug Pokémon · Butterfly and Moth Pokémon

← Wormadam | Combee →