#0049 · Kanto · Generation 1

Venomoth

Poison Moth Pokémon · Bug/Poison-type

Venomoth is a Bug/Poison-type Pokémon, the Poison Moth Pokémon, number 49 (#0049) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 1.5 m tall and weighs 12.5 kg.

Venomoth's wings are covered in colour-coded scales: the Pokédex says dark scales are poisonous and pale ones cause paralysis. Every flap scatters them, and they are hard to get off once they touch skin.

How to pronounce Venomoth

Venomoth is pronounced VEN-oh-moth. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Venomoth said out loud:

In Japanese it is モルフォン (Morphon).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Venomoth is a purple moth with large light-blue eyes, a three-point crest, three pairs of tiny legs and a striped, paler abdomen. It is 1.5 m tall and weighs 12.5 kg. Its two pairs of pale purple wings are coated in fine, powdery scales, and official artwork shows them as see-through.

Behaviour

Venomoth is nocturnal and comes out only at night. Bulbapedia notes that it is itself drawn to bright lights, even though it lives in thick forest undergrowth with little light.

Habitat

The Pokédex habitat is forest. In Scarlet and Violet it is found in Area Zero, North Province Area Two, Tagtree Thicket and Casseroya Lake, and in 3-star Tera Raids, and in The Indigo Disk's Savanna Biome. Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

Diet

The Pokédex says its favourite prey are small insects drawn to streetlights.

Powers

Its Abilities are Shield Dust, which blocks the extra effects of incoming moves, and Tinted Lens, with Wonder Skin hidden. It uses Quiver Dance, Bug Buzz, Psychic and Air Slash, and scatters Sleep Powder and Stun Spore. With base Special Attack 90 and Speed 90 it is a quick special attacker.

Name origin

Venomoth may combine 'venom' and 'moth'. The Japanese name is Morphon (モルフォン), perhaps from 'metamorphosis' or the Morpho butterflies.

Design inspiration

Venomoth appears to be based on swallowtail moths, a number of which are poisonous. Its face and insect diet might also recall lacewings, which are drawn to lights at night. These are fan readings, not official statements.

Evolution notes

Venomoth evolves from Venonat at level 31 and is the last stage.

In the games

Venomoth first appeared in Red and Green (Red and Blue outside Japan), where it can be found in the Safari Zone, Victory Road and Cerulean Cave.

In the anime

Venomoth debuted in 'The Ninja Poké-Showdown', when Koga's Venonat evolved during his Gym battle with Ash. In 'Shocks and Bonds', Katie's Venomoth uses Disable at the Ever Grande Conference to stop Ash's Torkoal from using Iron Defense.

Fun facts

• In 'The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!', Tracey's Venonat is revealed to have evolved into a Venomoth.
• Its Shiny colouring recalls the blue morpho butterfly.
• In Pokémon Adventures, it is noted that Venomoth has a short lifespan.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Venomoth (Pokémon) · Serebii: Venomoth (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 70
• Attack: 65
• Defense: 60
• Sp. Atk: 90
• Sp. Def: 75
• Speed: 90

Venomoth’s base stat total is 450. Its highest stat is Sp. Atk and Speed.

Type matchups

What is Venomoth weak to?

Venomoth 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 Venomoth evolve from?

Venomoth evolves from Venonat at level 31.

Venomoth is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Venonat, Venomoth.

Abilities

• Shield Dust: Protects against incoming moves' extra effects.
• Tinted Lens: Doubles damage inflicted with not-very-effective moves.
• Wonder Skin (hidden ability): Lowers incoming non-damaging moves' base accuracy to exactly 50%.

Moves

Moves Venomoth learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

“Evo” means Venomoth learns the move the moment it evolves: Air Slash.

TM moves (44)

Venomoth can learn 44 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Agility, Protect, Acid Spray, Acrobatics, Struggle Bug, Psybeam, Confuse Ray, Thief, Pounce, Facade, Swift, Air Cutter, Night Shade, Venoshock, Endure, Sunny Day, Zen Headbutt, U-turn, Air Slash, Sleep Talk, Rest, Toxic Spikes, Leech Life, Skill Swap, Substitute, Giga Drain, Energy Ball, Psychic, Baton Pass, Sludge Bomb, Giga Impact, Bug Buzz, Hyper Beam, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Toxic, Bug Bite, Lunge, Double-Edge, Endeavor, Sludge Wave, Skitter Smack, Psychic Noise.

Egg moves (8), which Venonat can hatch knowing:Agility, Baton Pass, Bug Bite, Morning Sun, Rage Powder, Screech, Toxic Spikes, Venoshock.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Bug.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 75 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 Sp. Atk and 1 Speed effort values.
• Base experience yield: 158.

Pokédex entries

The powdery scales on its wings are hard to remove from skin. They also contain poison that leaks out on contact. (Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

Venomoth is nocturnal - it is a Pokémon that only becomes active at night. Its favorite prey are small insects that gather around streetlights, attracted by the light in the darkness. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

The wings are covered with dustlike scales. Every time it flaps its wings, it looses highly toxic dust. (FireRed, Y)

The scales it scatters will paralyze anyone who touches them, making that person unable to stand. (Crystal, X)

It flutters its wings to scatter dustlike scales. The scales leach toxins if they contact skin. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)

The powder on its wings is poisonous if it is dark in hue. If it is light in hue, it causes paralysis. (SoulSilver)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Tallest Bug type in Gen 1: 1.5 m, shared with 2 others.
• Highest HP among Bug types in Gen 1: 70, shared with 1 other.
• Highest Sp. Atk among Bug types in Gen 1: 90, shared with 1 other.
• Taller than 72% of all Pokémon (1.5 m).
• Heavier than 33% of all Pokémon (12.5 kg).
• Base stat total 450, ranked #512 of 1,025.
• One of 12 Pokémon that are both Bug and Poison.
• One of 87 purple Pokémon.
• Number 49 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 56 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 75: about 9.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• 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: Venomoth (Pokémon), Serebii: Venomoth (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (VEN-oh-moth): 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 · Shield Dust ability · Tinted Lens ability · Wonder Skin ability · Compare Venomoth · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 1 Bug-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Poison-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Purple Pokémon list · Bug egg group · Pokémon that start with V · Bug Pokémon · Butterfly and Moth Pokémon

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