#0313 · Hoenn · Generation 3

Volbeat

Firefly Pokémon · Bug-type

Volbeat is a Bug-type Pokémon, the Firefly Pokémon, number 313 (#0313) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 17.7 kg.

Volbeat is the Firefly Pokémon, a male-only Bug type that talks to other Volbeat in flashes from its glowing tail. A swarm can draw geometric shapes across the night sky, and the Pokédex says it loves the sweet scent of Illumise.

How to pronounce Volbeat

Volbeat is pronounced VOL-beet. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Volbeat said out loud:

In Japanese it is バルビート (Barubeat).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Volbeat is a firefly-like biped, 0.7 m tall and 17.7 kg, with a black body, a blue chest and abdomen and two yellow stripes across its front. Its blue face has yellow eyes and curled antennae striped yellow and black. Two simple wings grow from a red band around its shoulders, and a spherical yellow tail glows.

Behaviour

Volbeat lives around clean ponds and moves its nest if the water turns dirty. After dark it adjusts the brightness and flashing of its tail light to converse with others, and the Pokédex says swarms fly with their taillights lit.

Habitat

The Pokédex says it lives around clean ponds, and its game habitat category is forest. In Scarlet and Violet it can be traded or transferred in, and it lives across Kitakami in The Teal Mask and in 2-star and 4-star Tera Raid Battles. It is not in Legends: Z-A.

Powers

Volbeat's Abilities are Illuminate and Swarm, with Prankster hidden, which gives its non-damaging moves priority. Tail Glow, its signature move in Generation III, drastically raises its Special Attack, Bug Buzz and Double-Edge hit hard, Moonlight restores health, and Zen Headbutt gives it a coverage option. With base HP 65 and Special Defense 85 it is more of a support Pokémon than an attacker.

Name origin

Volbeat may combine 'volt' with 'beetle' or 'beat'. The Japanese name is Barubeat (バルビート), which may mix 'bulb', 'beat' and 'beetle'.

Design inspiration

Volbeat looks like a firefly, and its colouring resembles that of the subfamily Cyphonocerinae. Bulbapedia also notes its black 'jacket', striped 'shirt' and collar-popping pose may recall 1950s greasers. These are fan readings.

In the games

In Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, Volbeat swoops in to paint the new area once Travel Mode is completed on the Ruby Field. It first appeared in Ruby and Sapphire.

In the anime

Five Volbeat appear in 'Love at First Flight', in a May Festival show with Illumise, all belonging to Romeo. In 'That's Just Swellow', Volt's Volbeat knows Electric moves like Thunder and competes in PokéRinger events.

Fun facts

• In Generation VII, Bulbapedia says, Volbeat alone ends up with a pair of Egg moves, Lunge and Dizzy Punch, that cannot legally be bred together, because it is male-only and its Egg moves differ from Illumise's.
• In the wild, Volbeat can be found only in Black and Black 2, and Illumise only in White and White 2.
• In the Pokémon Generations episode 'The Cavern', a wild Volbeat flees from a storm that Primal Kyogre is creating.

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

Base stats

• HP: 65
• Attack: 73
• Defense: 75
• Sp. Atk: 47
• Sp. Def: 85
• Speed: 85

Volbeat’s base stat total is 430. Its highest stat is Sp. Def and Speed.

Type matchups

What is Volbeat weak to?

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

It resists Grass (½×), Fighting (½×), Ground (½×).

Evolution

Volbeat does not evolve, and it does not evolve from any other Pokémon.

Abilities

• Illuminate: Doubles the wild encounter rate.
• Swarm: Strengthens Bug moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
• Prankster (hidden ability): Raises non-damaging moves' priority by one stage.

Moves

Moves Volbeat learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (53)

Volbeat can learn 53 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Mud-Slap, Protect, Water Pulse, Acrobatics, Struggle Bug, Confuse Ray, Thief, Trailblaze, Pounce, Chilling Water, Charge Beam, Facade, Aerial Ace, Swift, Air Cutter, Fling, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Brick Break, Zen Headbutt, U-turn, Air Slash, Body Slam, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Sleep Talk, Light Screen, Dazzling Gleam, Metronome, Thunder Wave, Rest, Taunt, Substitute, Trick, Giga Drain, Tailwind, Shadow Ball, Encore, Play Rough, Helping Hand, Baton Pass, Bug Buzz, Thunder, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Bug Bite, Lunge, Focus Punch, Double-Edge, Endeavor, Skitter Smack.

Egg moves (4):Counter, Roost, Seismic Toss, Swagger.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 100% male, 0% female.
• Egg groups: Bug, Human-Like.
• Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
• Catch rate: 150 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Slow Then Very Fast (600,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Speed effort value.
• Base experience yield: 151.

Pokédex entries

Volbeat's tail glows like a lightbulb. With other Volbeat, it uses its tail to draw geometric shapes in the night sky. This Pokémon loves the sweet aroma given off by Illumise. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)

With the arrival of night, Volbeat emits light from its tail. It communicates with others by adjusting the intensity and flashing of its light. This Pokémon is attracted by the sweet aroma of Illumise. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)

It lives around clean ponds. At night, its rear lights up. It converses with others by flashing its light. (FireRed, LeafGreen, Y)

It communicates with others by lighting up its rear at night. It loves Illumise's sweet aroma. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, X)

It emits light from its tail to communicate. It loves the sweet aroma given off by Illumise. (HeartGold, SoulSilver)

With their taillights lit, Volbeat fly in a swarm, drawing geometric designs in the night sky. They move their nests if their pond water becomes dirty. (Emerald)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 34% of all Pokémon (0.7 m).
• Heavier than 39% of all Pokémon (17.7 kg).
• Base stat total 430, ranked #544 of 1,025.
• One of 92 Bug-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 107 gray Pokémon.
• Number 62 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
• Can learn 63 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 150: about 19.6% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 6 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: Volbeat (Pokémon), Serebii: Volbeat (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (VOL-beet): 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 · Hoenn region guide · Illuminate ability · Swarm ability · Prankster ability · Compare Volbeat · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 3 Bug-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Pokémon list · Gray Pokémon list · Bug egg group · Human-Like egg group · Pokémon that start with V · Bug Pokémon

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