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Bulborb Larva

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Bulborb Larva In-game icon.
Icon for the Bulborb Larva, from Pikmin 4's Piklopedia.
Appears in Pikmin 2Pikmin 4
Scientific name Oculus bambinii (Pikmin 2)
Oculus kageyamii larva (premolt) (Pikmin 4)
Family Grub-dog
Areas Sun-Speckled Terrace (night), Blossoming Arcadia (night), Primordial Thicket (night)
Caves Frontier Cavern, Hole of Heroes, Burrow of Beginnings, Cradle of the Beast, Cavern for a King
Challenge Mode stages Emperor's Realm
Dandori Challenge stages Trial of the Sage Leaf
Dandori Battle stages None
2-Player Battle stages None
Attacks Eat Pikmin

The Bulborb Larva (ベビーチャッピー?, lit.: "Baby Chappy") is an enemy in Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 4. As the name would imply, Bulborb Larvae are juvenile Bulborbs. They have the typical beige snout of Bulborbs, but their behind is white with only a dab of red on the very end. A small, pointy appendage can be seen below the red spot, its use is unknown; it could be some form of tail, or an umbilical cord. Given that they are young, their size isn't much larger than that of a leader. They are the true juvenile grub-dogs, as Dwarf Bulborbs are members of the breadbug family and merely imitate Bulborbs. They are hard to kill in swarms, but have low health. Bulborb larvae are infamous for their ability to quickly kill Pikmin: the creature's bite is fast and fatal. However, the small creatures can be destroyed with one punch from a leader, so it is considered more effective to keep Pikmin away from the Larvae and attack with Olimar and his partner.

Bulborb Larvae are continuously born from certain Empress Bulblaxes. Only 50 can be on the sublevel at once, and once that cap is reached, the Empress falls asleep; it will reawaken once only 25 or less are alive and start producing more. If the Empress is woken up via Pikmin attacks it will also not begin to produce more until there are 25 or less left. The Empress' rolling attack can also crush these enemies, making it useful to clear out a large amount of Larvae.

Upon reaching their first molt, Bulborb Larvae metamorphose into Albino Dwarf Bulborb.

Stats[edit]

Game Weight Max.
carriers
Seeds Value Health Regen.
Pikmin 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A 5 No
Pikmin 4 N/A N/A N/A (0 glow pellets) N/A 1 No

Behavior[edit]

Right as soon as they are born, the Larvae squeal and begin being active right away. They crawl along the floor, pursuing the closest leader in a straight line, and actually ignoring any Pikmin. This can be used to the player's advantage, by having one leader serve as bait. If it gets close to a leader or Pikmin, it will bite down, quickly and deadly. If it gets a Pikmin, it will chew on it for a very short amount of time. Although it can only eat one Pikmin at a time, the speed at which they feast and the sheer number of them can be devastating for an army of Pikmin. Moreover, unless the player uses an ultra-bitter spray, the creature does not release the Pikmin it is eating, which means the Pikmin cannot be saved even if the creature is supposed to be dead. The members of the Mandiblard family have a similar behavior, in Pikmin. Upon dying, it will melt away, and eventually disappear; one out of every five times, the Bulborb Larva will leave behind nectar. If a Purple Pikmin does the final blow, green mucus will splat out on the ground, and the creature will be shown dying more agonizingly.

Locations[edit]

Pikmin 2[edit]

Since these larvae can only spawn from certain Empress Bulblaxes, they cannot be found in any place without one.

Story Mode
Challenge Mode

Pikmin 4[edit]

Bulborb Larvae are more common than they were in Pikmin 2. Outside battles with an Empress Bulblax, many larvae either roam freely in groups or spawn infinitely from dirt-mounds until the mounds are destroyed.

Areas
Caves
  • Burrow of Beginnings, sublevel 1
  • Cradle of the Beast, sublevel 3: Larvae are spawned infinitely from an Empress Bulblax. There are also some freely roaming specimens in the corridor leading to the boss arena.
  • Cavern for a King, sublevel 17: Larvae fall from the ceiling each time the Empress Bulblax rolls.
Dandori Challenges
  • Trial of the Sage Leaf: Story 7, "One Fell Jump", contains freely roaming Bulborb Larvae. Story 10, "The Purple Key", contains one larva nest.

Strategy[edit]

The following article or section contains guides.
The strategies shown are just suggestions.

Although the larvae have quick bites, their health is rather low. A single punch from a leader is enough to kill a larva. After defeat, it has a 1 in 5 chance of dropping nectar.

In Pikmin 4, Bulborb Larvae may spawn from certain dirt mounds. These mounds will continually produce Larvae until they are excavated, requiring the player to clear out the larvae long enough for the Pikmin to remove the mound.

Pikmin[edit]

The best way to kill a Larva with a Pikmin is to use Purple Pikmin. Purple Pikmin are capable of stunning and even killing a large group of Larvae. While eaten Pikmin can be saved by killing the creature before it finishes chewing, Bulborb Larvae are infamous for the small size of this time window, so attacking them with a leader instead is recommended.

A different strategy is to stun them with about three or four Purples, then call them back and throw a lot of Pikmin on the mother. If done quickly enough, it will roll over its larva, killing them.

It is not recommended to use Yellow Pikmin to defeat Bulborb Larva due to Yellow Pikmin's high trajectory when thrown; the Pikmin may miss the enemy and it may be too late to whistle them back. Red and Blue Pikmin may also be an unwise choice due to lower speed. White Pikmin are a better choice for speed, and in case the Bulborb Larva eats the Pikmin, their poison will at least finish them off.

Another way is to get the Pikmin you do not need and try to kill them by swarming, though this method is not recommended as it can cause a lot of fatalities.

In Pikmin 4, if the player is using Rock Pikmin to beat the Empress Bulblax while it is producing larvae, the Rock Pikmin can prove surprisingly effective against these creatures. Rock Pikmin dealing damage immediately means a larva has no time to eat an attacking Rock Pikmin, then the Rock Pikmin will tumble back often acting as a natural dodge if it ends up tumbling away from the larvae. Rock Pikmin can also attack the Empress on the side she is rolling without fearing death, allowing them to stay on the side with less larvae. This fact proves extra effective in Cavern for a King.

To note is that you should be careful with the pools of nectar, seeing that if a non-flower Pikmin touches one, it will drink it and become vulnerable until it is done.

Leaders[edit]

A single punch from a leader is sufficient to kill a Bulborb Larva. Caution is advised, though, as they may still sneak in a bite as they are dying. The Rocket Fist, found in the same dungeon as the first encounter with the larvae can be used to kill many of them at once due to its range increase on the third strike.

A tactic that can be used in the later Empress Bulblax battles is to allow several dozen Larvae to be born, then attack the Empress so it can roll around the cavern. As this happens, almost every single Larva will be killed, releasing a number of pools of nectar for the Pikmin. In the second battle inside the Frontier Cavern, the larvae can be trapped in a ledge where the Research Pod is by baiting them, and after the Empress is dead, a leader can go down and defeat all of the larvae, resulting in many nectar pools. One strategy in killing the Empress is to have one leader, hopefully one that has full health, distract its larvae near its rear end while the other leader attacks it from the front.

Another suggestion is to let it give birth to several, lead them into a corner, and keep punching them one by one to receive up to 20 drops of nectar. You should do this with a leader at full health.

Alternate[edit]

It is also possible to kill them using the Empress Bulblax herself, by standing in the hollow in front of it (as there always is), hurting the boss until it is forced to roll over, and letting it kill the larvae.

Notes

Olimar's notes

As its name implies, this creature is a bulborb in an early stage of development. Its distinct bulborb coloration has yet to appear, but it already exhibits other uniquely bulborb characteristics. It is capable of hunting nourishment independently without the help of its parents.

Louie's notes

This meager creature offers little meat, but its eyeballs are a local delicacy. Try them with okra and a dollop of sour cream!

Dalmo's Notes[edit]

A toddling infant that anyone would love. With the body and delicate skin of a newborn, this cute little button is sensitive to all stimuli. Whatever you do around it must be done slowly, gently, and quietly. As adorable as this baby is, you might be tempted to embrace it. But don't! You could squish the fragile little darling.

Olimar's Notes (Pikmin 4)[edit]

As its name implies, this creature is a Bulborb in an early stage of development. Its distinct Bulborb coloration has yet to appear, but it already exhibits other uniquely Bulborb characteristics. It is capable of hunting nourishment independently without the help of its parents.

Pikmin 2 Nintendo Player's Guide[edit]

The offspring of the Empress Bulblax are small but hungry. They can swallow Pikmin whole. If you have to attack Bulborb Larvae with Pikmin, toss your troops and aim for the critters' backs. If one of your spacemen can go it alone, punch them for a quick defeat.

Technical information[edit]

Pikmin 2 technical information (?)
Internal name baby
Global properties (List)
ID Japanese comment Property Value
s000 friction(not used) Friction 0.5
s001 wallReflection Unknown (wall bounce speed multiplier?) 0.5
s002 faceDirAdjust Unknown 0.25
s003 accel Acceleration 0.05
s004 bounceFactor Unknown (bounce when it hits the ground?) 0.3
fp00 ライフ HP 5
fp01 マップとの当り Unknown (related to slopes) 15
fp02 ダメージスケールXZ Horizontal damage scale 0.2
fp03 ダメージスケールY Vertical damage scale 0.25
fp04 ダメージフレーム Damage scale duration 0.35
fp05 質量 Unknown (weight?) 0.1
fp06 速度 Move speed 40
fp08 回転速度率 Rotation acceleration 0.05
fp09 テリトリー Territory radius 300
fp10 ホーム範囲 "Home" radius 30
fp11 プライベート距離 "Private" radius 75
fp12 視界距離 Sight radius 800
fp13 視界角度 FOV 180
fp14 探索距離 Unknown (exploration radius?) 0
fp15 探索角度 Unknown (exploration angle?) 0
fp16 振り払い率 Successful shake rate 1
fp17 振り払い力 Shake knockback 150
fp18 振り払いダメージ Shake damage 1
fp19 振り払い範囲 Shake range 0
fp20 攻撃可能範囲 Unknown (shock attack max range?) 30
fp21 攻撃可能角度 Unknown (shock attack max angle?) 45
fp22 攻撃ヒット範囲 Unknown (attack hit range?) 30
fp23 攻撃ヒット角度 Unknown (attack hit angle?) 45
fp24 攻撃力 Attack damage 2
fp25 視界高 Unknown (height visibility?) 50
fp26 探索高 Unknown (exploration height?) 0
fp27 ライフの高さ HP wheel height 50
fp28 回転最大速度 Rotation speed 10
fp29 警戒時間 Unknown (warning time?) 0
fp30 警戒ライフ Unknown 0
fp31 ライフ回復率 Regeneration rate 0
fp32 LOD半径 Off-camera radius 500
fp33 マップとのあたりポリゴンの選定 Collision processing radius 20
fp34 ピクミンとのあたり Pikmin damage radius 10
fp35 石化時間 Petrification duration 1
fp36 ヒップドロップダメージ Purple Pikmin drop damage 50
fp37 地震気絶確立 Purple Pikmin stun chance 0.3 (30%)
fp38 地震気絶時間 Purple Pikmin stun time 5
ip01 振り払い打撃A Shake mode 1 – hit count 200
ip02 振り払い張付1 Shake mode 1 – Pikmin requirement 100
ip03 振り払い打撃B Shake mode 2 – hit count 200
ip04 振り払い張付2 Shake mode 2 – Pikmin requirement 100
ip05 振り払い打撃C Shake mode 3 – hit count 200
ip06 振り払い張付3 Shake mode 3 – Pikmin requirement 100
ip07 振り払い打撃D Shake mode 4 – hit count 200
Specific properties
ID Japanese comment Property Value
fp01 白ピクミン White Pikmin poison damage 300
fp11 蜜出し確率 Chance of dropping nectar 0.2 (20%)

Other information[edit]

  • Size: Body length: 26mm, as per the e-card
  • Pikmin 2 Piklopedia number: #9

Naming[edit]

See more: Grub-dog family#Naming.
  • Common name: Bulborb Larva. The creature's name is due to the fact that it is an undeveloped larva of a mature Bulborb: it's missing most of its limbs and defining physical characteristics.
  • Japanese nickname: ベビーチャッピー?, lit.: "Baby Chappy". Chappy is the Japanese name for Bulborb.
  • Japanese name: デメマダラ?, lit.: "Spotted Bug-eye".
  • Scientific name: Oculus kageyamii larva (premolt). Oculus kageyamii is the scientific name for the Bulborb species. Prior to Pikmin 4, the Bulborb Larva's scientific name was instead Oculus bambinii. Bambinii is Italian for "children".
  • Internal names: Internally, it is called baby, over the Japanese name.
  • Prerelease: None.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Flag of Japan Japanese ベビーチャッピー?
Bebī Chappī
Baby Chappy "Chappy" is the Japanese name for Bulborb
Flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Chinese
(traditional)
寶寶恰比
Bǎobao Qiàbǐ
Baby Chappy "Qiàbǐ" is the Chinese (traditional) name for Bulborb
Flag of China Chinese
(simplified)
宝宝恰比
Bǎobao Qiàbǐ
Baby Chappy "Qiàbǐ" is the Chinese (simplified) name for Bulborb
Flag of the Netherlands Dutch Bulborblarve Bulborb larva
Flag of France French Larve de Bulborbe
Larve de bulborbe (Pikmin 4)
Bulborb Larva
Bulborb larva (Pikmin 4)
"Bulborbe" is the French name for Bulborb
Flag of Germany German Punktkäfer-Larve Dot Beetle Larva "Punktkäfer" is the German name for Bulborb
Flag of Italy Italian Coletolarva Coleto larva "Coleto" may come from "boletus" (Latin for mushroom), as a bulborb's spots resemble those found on certain mushrooms
"Coleto" is the Italian name for both Bulborb and Bulbear
Flag of South Korea Korean 애벌레차피 (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
베이비차피 (Pikmin 4)
Aebeolle-Chapi
Beibi-Chapi
Larva Chappy (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
Baby Chappy (Pikmin 4)
"Chapi" is the Korean name for Bulborb
Flag of Brazil Portuguese Larva de bulbolho Bulbeye larva "Bulbolho" is a portmanteau of "bulbo" (bulb) and "olho" (eye)
"Bulbolho" is the Brazilian Portuguese name for Bulborb
Flag of Spain Spanish Larva de bulbo Bulb larva "Bulbo" is the Spanish name for Bulborb

Gallery[edit]

Pikmin 2[edit]

Pikmin 4[edit]

Other[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • Bulborb Larva do not have an animation for standing still in Pikmin 2. When viewed from out of their detection range they'll use their walking animation, appearing to endlessly wriggle in place.
  • In Pikmin 2, the model for Bulborb Larva does not have a texture file. Instead, the model uses vertex colors.
  • Prior to Pikmin 4, its scientific name (Oculus bambinii) indicated that it did not belong to the same species as its progenitor, the Empress Bulblax (Oculus matriarcha). Unfortunately, its new name (Oculus kageyamii) is still a misnomer, lacking the subspecies classification (Oculus kageyamii matriarcha) the Empress Bulblax is under.
    • Although, since Bulborb Larva are not exclusively born from the Empress Bulblax in Pikmin 4, it can be implied that each larva's subspecies is specifically unclassified given that Olimar mentions that the features that would distinguish the different Bulborb subspecies do not appear until the second molt.
  • With only 5 health points, Bulborb Larvae have the least amount of health of any enemy in Pikmin 2. In Pikmin 4, it has even less, only having one single point of HP.

See also[edit]