Bulbmin

Bulbmin
Appears in	N/A
Scientific name	Parasiticus pikminicus
Family	Pikmin
Areas	None
Attacks	Eats Pikmin

Bulbmin (Juvenile)
Resistance	All Hazards
Attack strength	Average
Mobility	Average
Throw	Average
Digging speed	Unknown
Carrying capacity	1

Bulbmin are a parasitic species of Pikmin that have infected a Bulborb and taken control of their host. They can be found wandering the floors of certain caves and behave much like the Spotty Bulbear, patrolling an established path in search of food. They can be defeated using Bulborb-fighting tactics, though use of a spray is usually recommended. Mature Bulbmin can be followed by 10 or fewer juvenile Bulbmin. Since wild juveniles count towards your 100-Pikmin limit, exactly how many there are depends on whether or not you have 10 available spaces.

When you defeat a mature Bulbmin, the smaller ones go into a panic. They are not dangerous, but whistling at them will instantly bring them into line under your command, and they become part of your Pikmin swarm. They have average stats, but are immune to all hazards (fire, water, electricity, and poison; excluding explosions). As good as their abilities may seem, they cannot leave the caves with you, and will not count towards your overall Pikmin count. This makes them ideal for use in Candypop Buds. The only way they can be killed if they are not under your command is if a Cannon Beetle relative flattens them, or they fall over the side of a level suspended over a pit when shaken by an enemy attack or explosion, etc. The largest population of Bulbmin is found in the Submerged Castle.

There is some debate over what Bulbmin inside Bulborbs actually look like. Some argue that since they appear as green dots of radar, and since their leaves glow green when idle, that they themselves are green. Others suggest that Bulbmin are orange given the color of the tip of their stem, as well as the color of the conical aiming cursor when a Bulbmin is in hand and the color of the trail they leave when thrown.

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How to Kill

Pikmin

To ensure a low Pikmin loss, if not zero, throw Pikmin rapidly directly on top of the beast. If your aim is good, it will stop and turn to eat Pikmin it shakes off, meaning that it stops coming towards you and your army. It should die before any of the Pikmin it swallows do. As extra precautions, use Purple Pikmin first and freeze it with Ultra-Bitter Spray if it captures any Pikmin.

Captains

Approach the Bulbmin like a roaming Bulbear, attacking it from behind and avoiding its bite. Although its health is significantly lower than a Bulbear's, it can still take a substantial amount of time to kill if you do not have the Rocket Fist powerup. A strategy that can also be very effective involves attack from the front, and is more useful with fewer Pikmin. Wait until the beast approaches the Captain, then throw a few Pikmin onto its back, further to the back than the front. If done correctly, it should shake them off and turn around slowly: it has been distracted, leaving a large time gap in which to swarm it.