Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: Blipbug, Memories in Motion, pokemon

Blipbug, Orbeetle, & Shiny Sizzlipede Debut In Pokémon GO For Bug Out

This year's Bug Out event introduces Blipbug, Dottler, Orbeetle, & Shiny Sizzlipede to Pokémon GO in a loaded event this March.

Published Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:12:08 -0600

by Theo Dwyer

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Article Summary

Blipbug, Dottler, and Orbeetle make their Pokémon GO debut during the 2026 Bug Out event.
Shiny Sizzlipede debuts; encounter it in the wild and Lure Modules for a limited time.
Special wild spawns, raid lineups, and increased Shiny rates featured throughout the event.
The new GO Pass and GO Pass Deluxe offer exclusive encounters, rewards, and faster progression.

The annual Bug Out event returns to Pokémon GO with new species and a new Shiny in tow.

Bug Out event graphic in Pokémon GO. Credit: Niantic — Bug Out event graphic in *Pokémon GO*. Credit: Niantic

Here's what's happening for the Bug Out 2026 event in Pokémon GO:

Date and time: Tuesday, March 17, at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, March 23, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. local time
New Pokémon: The Blipbug family debuts! Blipbug will be available in One-Star Raids and the GO Pass for the event. You can use 25 Blipbug Candy to evolve Blipbug into Dottler and 100 Blipbug Candy to evolve Dottler into Orbeetle.
Shiny release: A new species release and a Shiny drop? It feels like 2020! Shiny Sizzlipede will debut in the game. You can encounter Sizzlipede in the wild and through Lure Modules.
Wild Spawns: Caterpie (can be Shiny), Dwebble (can be Shiny), Sizzlipede (can be Shiny), Nymble (can be Shiny), and more. Rare spawns include Scyther (can be Shiny).
Event bonuses:
- Paras, Combee, and Cutiefly attracted to regular Lure Modules will have an increased chance to be Shiny.
- There will be different Pokémon attracted to regular Lure Modules during the event, using this schedule:
  - March 17 at 10:00 a.m. to March 19 at 10:00 a.m. local time: Paras (can be Shiny), Sizzlipede (can be Shiny)
  - March 19 at 10:00 a.m. to March 21 at 10:00 a.m. local time: Cutiefly (can be Shiny), Sizzlipede (can be Shiny)
  - March 21 at 10:00 a.m. to March 23 at 8:00 p.m. local time: Combee (can be Shiny), Sizzlipede (can be Shiny)
- Reach Major Milestones through the GO Pass: Bug Out to unlock more bonuses:
  - Tier 1: 2× XP for successfully catching Pokémon with Nice Throws or better
  - Tier 2
    - 2× Candy for successfully catching Pokémon
    - GO Pass Deluxe: 3× Candy for successfully catching Pokémon
- Field Research: Event-themed encounters
Raids:
- One-Star Raids: Blipbug
- Three-Star Raids: Pinsir (can be Shiny), Scizor (can be Shiny), Kleavor (can be Shiny)
GO Pass: Bug Out 2026: The switch has been made. GO Passes have replaced ticketed research as a way to enhance events. This one will be available from Tuesday, March 17, at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, March 23, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. local time. It includes:
- GO Pass:
  - Encounter with Blipbug
  - Encounters with event-themed Pokémon
  - Stardust
  - XP
  - Lure Modules
  - Great Balls
  - More
- GO Pass Deluxe:
  - Additional encounters with even more event-themed Pokémon
  - Premium Battle Passes
  - Lure Modules
  - Rare Candy XL
  - Candy XL
  - More
- While it doesn't list Shedinja as a guaranteed encounter, the graphic on the blog for the GO Pass shows Shedinja, so you can expect one of those. Additionally, Niantic writes:
  - "A GO Pass is a free, limited-time progression track available during a specified period. By collecting GO Points, you can increase your rank to earn rewards. Trainers will automatically receive the GO Pass for Bug Out on Tuesday, March 17, at 10:00 a.m. local time. You can collect GO Points and rank up to get additional rewards through Monday, March 23, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. local time. For US$4.99*, Trainers can upgrade to the GO Pass Deluxe, a paid version of the GO Pass that offers upgraded rewards and faster progression. For US$6.99*, Trainers can upgrade to the GO Pass Deluxe + 6 Ranks to also automatically earn enough GO Points to reach Rank 7. While progressing through the GO Pass Deluxe, you'll be able to claim all of the rewards from both the free GO Pass and GO Pass Deluxe. You can upgrade to a GO Pass Deluxe at any time and still collect rewards from previously unlocked ranks. Rewards unlocked in the GO Pass will expire on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. local time, so be sure to claim your rewards before they're gone!"