Volbeat (Japanese: バルビート Barubeat) is a Bug-type Pokémon introduced in Generation III.

While it is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon, it is related to Illumise and, starting in Generation V, can produce Eggs that contain either Illumise or Volbeat when bred with Ditto.

Biology

Volbeat is a firefly-like, bipedal Pokémon. Its body is black with a blue chest and abdomen. There are two yellow stripes across its front: one on its chest and one near its legs. A red band separates each limb from its body and a thicker, incomplete one surrounds its shoulders. Two simple wings extend from the band around its shoulder. It has a blue face with yellow eyes, and curly, yellow antennae with black stripes. It has a spherical yellow tail, which glows to communicate and draw geometric patterns in the sky while in a swarm. In Generation III, Tail Glow was its signature move. This is a male only species; Illumise is its female counterpart. Volbeat is attracted by the sweet aroma given off by Illumise. It lives in forests near clean ponds, but will move if the pond becomes dirty.

Game data

NPC appearances

Pokédex entries

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
Generation IIIHoenn
#086
Kanto
#—
RubyWith 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.
SapphireVolbeat'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.
EmeraldWith 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.
FireRedIt lives around clean ponds. At night, its rear lights up. It converses with others by flashing its light.
LeafGreen
Generation VUnova
#—
BlackIt communicates with others by lighting up its rear at night. It loves Illumise's sweet aroma.
White
Black 2It communicates with others by lighting up its rear at night. It loves Illumise's sweet aroma.
White 2
Generation VIKalos
Central #133
Hoenn
#089
XIt communicates with others by lighting up its rear at night. It loves Illumise's sweet aroma.
YIt lives around clean ponds. At night, its rear lights up. It converses with others by flashing its light.
Omega RubyWith 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.
Alpha SapphireVolbeat'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.
Generation IXPaldea
#—
Kitakami
#9
Blueberry
#—
ScarletIt lives around clean ponds. At night, its rear lights up. It converses with others by flashing its light.
VioletIt flashes the light on its rear to communicate with other Volbeat. It loves the sweet aroma given off by Illumise.

Game locations

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
Generation III
Generation IV
Generation V
Generation VI
Generation VII
Generation VIII
Generation IX

In side games

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
Generation III
Generation IV
Generation V
Generation VI
Generation VII
Generation VIII
Cross-Generation

Held items

Stats

Base stats

Generations III to VI
Generation VII onwards

Pokéathlon stats

Jump
5/5★★★★★

Type effectiveness

Under normal battle conditions in Generation IX, this Pokémon is:
Damaged
normally by:
Immune to:
Resistant to:

Learnset

By leveling up

Generation IX
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Volbeat
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Volbeat
  • Click on the generation numbers at the top to see level-up moves from other generations

By TM

Generation IX
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Volbeat
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution or an alternate form of Volbeat
  • Click on the generation numbers at the top to see TM moves from other generations

By breeding

Generation IX
  • Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Volbeat
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Volbeat
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Volbeat
  • Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Egg moves from other generations

Side game data

Pokémon Rumble Rush
Rush313Body.pngWalking Speed: 1.97 secondsBase HP: 52
Base Attack: 75Base Defense: 55Base Speed: 60

Evolution data

Sprites

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
Generation III
Generation IV
Generation V
Generation VI
Generation VII
Cross-Generation

Other sprites

Spr 3e Volbeat intro.png
Emerald intro's sprite

In the anime

Main series

Major appearances

Volbeat debuted in Camp Pikachu, where he served as a sort of camp counselor and guide at a mill that Pikachu and his friends stumbled upon.

Five Volbeat made their main series debut in Love at First Flight. All of them, including one nicknamed Beat, were under the ownership of Romeo and part of a show alongside Illumise for the May Festival.

In That's Just Swellow, Volt owns a Volbeat that knows Electric-type moves like Thunder and is always used in PokéRinger competitions. As such, Volbeat was used during the Crossgate PokéRinger tournament, but he wound up being defeated by Taillow.

In Time Warp Heals All Wounds, Edna mentioned how Volbeat and Illumise frequently did their mating dance rituals in a large tree that used to be located in the middle of the city. In the new timeline May created after time traveling, the tree remained and the migrations never stopped.

Minor appearances

In A Double Dilemma, a Volbeat was living in North Petalburg.

A Volbeat appeared in Pokéblock, Stock, and Berry.

In Lessons in Lilycove, a Coordinator's Volbeat competed in the Lilycove City Contest.

In Zoroark: Master of Illusions, a Volbeat living in Crown City worked with several other Pokémon in surrounding Zorua at the park. They were intent on attacking him as retribution for what Zoroark did to the city. Before a fight could break out, Volbeat and the other Pokémon were calmed by Celebi.

A Volbeat appeared in Lighting the Way Home!.

Pokédex entries

EpisodePokémonSourceEntry
AG042VolbeatAsh's PokédexVolbeat, the Firefly Pokémon. Volbeat uses the designs on its tail for sketching and communicating with other Volbeat.

Pokémon Generations

In The Cavern, a wild Volbeat was fleeing from a storm that a Primal Kyogre was creating.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Volbeat debuted in Creepin Past Cacnea, where a wild one battled alongside a Duskull, a Wingull, a Cacnea, and a Beautifly against Norman, but they were quickly defeated by his Pokémon.

In Tongue-Tied Kecleon, Ruby and Wally observed multiple Volbeat dancing with wild Illumise.

Aqua Admin Amber owns two Volbeat, both of which first appeared in Very Vexing Volbeat. While one distracted Team Magma with Tail Glow, the other was able to steal the Blue Orb from the enemy team and deliver it to Archie.

In The Final Battle IV, a Volbeat helped Emerald with his disabilities.

Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire

A Volbeat appeared in Pokémon Friendship Story.

In the TCG

Main article: Volbeat (TCG)

Trivia

  • Volbeat shares its category with its female counterpart Illumise. They are both known as the Firefly Pokémon.
  • Volbeat and its counterpart are the only Bug-type Pokémon in the Human-Like Egg Group.
  • In Generation VII, Volbeat is the only Pokémon with an illegal combination of Egg moves (Lunge and Dizzy Punch), as it is male only and has different Egg moves from its female counterpart, Illumise. Nidoran♂ is in a similar situation, but it is in the Field egg group and can therefore inherit any combination of Egg moves from Smeargle.

Origin

Volbeat appears to be based on a lampyridae (also known as a glowworm, firefly, or lightningbug) like its counterpart, Illumise. Its coloring resembles the subfamily Cyphonocerinae. Its appearance may also be based on a greaser, a subculture in the 1950s; their Japanese counterparts are the Bōsōzoku. Greasers usually wore black or brown Y-collared trench-coats and/or jackets with under shirts and also had heavily greased hair. This is shown in Volbeat's black colored "shirt", striped belly "under shirt" and "collar". The pose Volbeat takes in its official art may also be a reference to greasers, as they are commonly shown with their hands either holding or popping their jacket collars.

Name origin

Volbeat may be a combination of volt and beetle or beat.

Barubeat may be a combination of バルブ bulb, beat, and beetle.

In other languages

External links

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