Master the Art of Thunderwing Butterfly Farming in Zelda

Quick Links

Obtaining critters in Tears of the Kingdom can be a challenging task as they are fast-moving and skittish. Thunderwing Butterflies, in particular, only spawn in specific habitats or during thunderstorms, making them even more difficult to farm. However, these critters are essential for crafting elixirs and upgrading armor, so it's worth investing the time to find them.

Players can increase their chances of finding Thunderwing Butterflies by exploring the southern regions of Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom. Due to The Upheaval, the habitats of these butterflies have been altered from Breath of the Wild. However, players may need to make substantial progress in TotK's primary story before encountering Thunderwing Butterflies in the wild.

Thunderwing Butterfly Location (TotK)

Thunderwing Butterflies are known to gather only in rainy areas, as stated in their Hyrule Compendium entry. These can be spotted in the Faron Grasslands or the Thunderhead Isles. Alternatively, those with enough rupees can purchase a set of three from Beedle at select Stables.

Faron Grasslands

Thunderwing Butterflies can be found throughout the Faron Grasslands region, which encompasses the Ishokin Shrine and the Highland Stable. Rainy weather increases the likelihood of their appearance, and players can expedite the rain by resting at a campfire, inn, or Zelda's House in Hateno Village.

Located in the southernmost part of Hyrule, the Thunderhead Isles rest high above the clouds. However, if players have yet to finish the "Crisis at Hyrule Castle" main quest, they will find the isles shrouded in a menacing black cloud, rendering them inaccessible. To gain entry, players must first complete the following steps:

After rousing the Four Sages, the next step is to locate Zelda at Hyrule Castle, where a crisis is unfolding. This will initiate the primary mission, "The Fifth Sage." In order to progress, Link must journey to Kakariko Village and initiate "Secret of the Ring Ruins," which will ultimately lead him to Dracozu Lake. There, he can acquire the Charged Armor, which will disperse the thunderclouds that have been gathering around the Thunderhead Isles. With this task accomplished, Link can glide safely to the Isles without risk of injury, provided that he avoids wearing any metal.

The Thunderwing Butterflies are abundant on the Thunderhead Isles, a cluster of small islands near 0719, -2615, 0744. The constant rain in this region makes it an ideal location for farming these butterflies for future armor upgrades. However, climbing can be treacherous due to the slippery conditions, so it is recommended to wear the Froggy Armor Set upgraded to level 2. Alternatively, players can opt for Slip-resistant Elixirs to avoid the need for the Lucky Post Gazette side adventure. It's worth noting that Thunderwing Butterflies will only spawn on the Thunderhead Isles and not on Dragonhead Island.

Beedle (Thunderwing Butterfly)

Beedle offers Thunderwing Butterflies for sale at the Tabantha Bridge Stable and the Lakeside Stable, priced at 10 rupees per butterfly. However, he only has a limited stock of 3, meaning that players can only purchase a maximum of 6 butterflies from both stables combined. Similar to other general stores, Beedle will replenish his inventory during every Blood Moon.

Thunderwing Butterfly Farming Tips

To increase the chances of successfully farming Thunderwing Butterflies, it's important for players to avoid wearing metal and minimize noise. Enhancing Link's stealth is crucial for approaching these timid creatures without scaring them away. Players can achieve this by taking a Sneaky Elixir or equipping stealth-enhancing armor like the Kakariko Village's Stealth Set. Crouching while approaching them can also reduce the chances of them detecting Link's presence.

To easily catch Thunderwing Butterflies, players can opt to paraglide towards them since they tend to fly above Link. However, it's important to disable the Vow of Tulin from the Key Items tab in the Inventory (+) to avoid accidentally triggering it while trying to grab the butterfly. Tulin's Gust may push Link forward, making it harder to catch the butterfly, so it's best to have it turned off. This will prevent players from scaring away the butterflies or other timid creatures and help them catch the elusive Thunderwing Butterfly.

Thunderwing Butterflies can be cooked to create an Electro Elixir, which provides resistance to Shock. Shock is the cause of Link dropping his weapon or shield after getting hit by a lightning-based attack. Although the Electro Elixir won't make Link completely immune to lightning damage, it will ensure that he won't drop his weapons frequently. It is advisable to carry an Electro Elixir while exploring areas with thunderstorms or when confronting a Thunder Gleeok.

Upgrading the Charged Armor Set with Thunderwing Butterflies and Electric Lizalfos Horns is another option that some players may consider. This requires a total of 15 Thunderwing Butterflies and the aforementioned horns to upgrade the entire set from level 1 to level 2. The Set Bonus becomes available at level 2, incentivizing players to keep hold of their Thunderwing Butterflies if they desire the bonus. The game can be played on the Nintendo Switch platform and is titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.