No. 0049 · Generation I · Poison Moth Pokémon
モルフォンMorufon · Written 'Morphon' in Latin letters, suggesting metamorphosis or Morpho, a genus of shimmering blue butterflies
The Poison Moth Pokémon · Bug/Poison type · first seen in Pokémon Red & Green (1996)
01Overview
Meet Venomoth
Everything you need to know about the Poison Moth Pokémon — the creature behind the number.
Meet Venomoth, the Poison Moth Pokémon: a Bug- and Poison-type night flier with two pairs of pale lilac wings traced with fine black veins, a soft purple body and enormous, round, light-blue eyes. It is the grown-up form of Venonat, the fuzzy little bug with radar eyes, which spreads its wings for the first time at level 31. Few Kanto transformations are quite so dramatic.
The real story is in those wings. They are dusted with fine, powdery scales, and every flap sends a cloud of them drifting on the breeze. Their colour works like a warning label: darker scales carry poison, while paler ones cause paralysis. The scales are notoriously hard to brush off and leak their toxins on contact with skin – so if a Venomoth is flapping nearby, it pays to stand upwind.
“The dust-like scales covering its wings are color coded to indicate the kinds of poison it has.”
Pokédex · Pokémon Red & Blue · 1996
Venomoth is a creature of the night. It spends the daylight hours in dense, gloomy forests thick with undergrowth, then emerges after dark to hunt. Like a real moth it cannot resist a bright light, and that suits it perfectly: its favourite prey is the small insects that swarm around streetlights, so every lamp post doubles as a dinner table. Pokémon Adventures adds a bittersweet note, describing it as short-lived.
Venomoth has been a Poison specialist's favourite for decades. In Pokémon Yellow, Koga swaps his usual Koffing for a swarm of Venonat capped by a Venomoth; he keeps one on his Elite Four team in Gold, Silver and Crystal, and his daughter Janine makes it her ace when she takes over the Fuchsia Gym. In the anime, Koga's Venonat even evolves mid-battle against Ash. Then came a long wait: after Crystal, Venomoth was left out of every new regional Pokédex for nearly 22 years until Scarlet and Violet finally let it loose in Paldea.
Fans love its moody, moonlit elegance, and its Shiny form – a cool blue that recalls the dazzling morpho butterflies – is a treat to find. Venomoth also stars in one of the longest-running fan theories in Pokémon: that it and Butterfree swapped designs during development, because the purple, big-eyed Venonat looks more like a young Butterfree than a young Venomoth. Nothing official backs the idea up, but it remains a fun one to argue about.
How big is Venomoth?
At 1.5 m (4′11″) Venomoth is about as tall as an average 11-year-old, yet it weighs just 12.5 kg (27.6 lb) – roughly a cocker spaniel's worth of moth, which is light work for those two pairs of wings.
Evolution
02In the Pokédex's words
Venomoth's Pokédex entries
13 different entries across 34 games, from 1996 to 2018. Here is how the Pokédex has described Venomoth over the years, in the order the games came out.
Generation I
The dust-like scales covering its wings are color coded to indicate the kinds of poison it has.
Kanto Pokédex
The powdery scales on its wings are hard to remove. They also contain poison that leaks out on contact.
Kanto Pokédex
The powder on its wings is poisonous. It scatters the powder with every flap, so you may be poisoned if you are downwind.
Kanto Pokédex
Generation II
When it attacks, it flaps its large wings violently to scatter its poisonous powder all around.
Johto Pokédex
The powder on its wings is poisonous if it is dark in color. If it is light, it causes paralysis.
Johto Pokédex
The scales it scatters will paralyze anyone who touches them, making that person unable to stand.
Johto Pokédex
Generation III
Venomoth is nocturnal – it is a Pokémon that only becomes active at night. Its favorite prey are small insects that gather around streetlights, attracted by the light in the darkness.
Hoenn Pokédex
The wings are covered with dustlike scales. Every time it flaps its wings, it looses highly toxic dust.
FireRed & LeafGreen Pokédex
The dustlike scales covering its wings are color-coded to indicate the kinds of poison it has.
FireRed & LeafGreen Pokédex
Venomoth are nocturnal–they only are active at night. Their favorite prey are insects that gather around streetlights, attracted by the light in the darkness.
Hoenn Pokédex
Generation IV
It flutters its wings to scatter dustlike scales. The scales leach toxins if they contact skin.
Sinnoh Pokédex
The powder on its wings is poisonous if it is dark in hue. If it is light in hue, it causes paralysis.
HeartGold & SoulSilver Pokédex
Generation VII
The powdery scales on its wings are hard to remove from skin. They also contain poison that leaks out on contact.
Let's Go Pokédex
03Stats, moves & where to find it
Venomoth in the video games
Base stat total 450 · 24 core-series games · 23 spin-offs · every move it learns, generation by generation.
Base stats
Base stats have never changed: 70/65/60/90/75/90, a total of 450. In Generation I Venomoth had a single Special stat of 90; when Gold and Silver split Special in two, Sp. Atk kept the 90 but Sp. Def was set at 75, so its special bulk took a small knock. Base friendship was 70 in Generations II–VII and has been 50 since Generation VIII. Base experience yield was 138 in Generations I–IV and has been 158 since Generation V; it reaches level 100 at 1,000,000 Exp. (Medium Fast). In the HeartGold & SoulSilver Pokéathlon it has a perfect 5-star Jump, alongside Speed 3, Power 2 (up to 4), Technique 3 and Stamina 1 (up to 3).
Abilities
- Shield Dustsince Gen III
Its protective scales block the extra effects of moves that hit it, such as a chance to burn, freeze or make it flinch. - Tinted Lenssince Gen IV
Doubles the power of Venomoth's 'not very effective' moves, so even resisted hits still sting. - Wonder SkinHidden abilitysince Gen V
Makes status moves aimed at Venomoth much more likely to miss.
Type matchups
How hard each attacking type hits a Bug/Poison Pokémon.
Generation I: Bug-type moves were 2× effective against Venomoth, because Bug was then super effective against Poison, and Poison-type moves did normal damage, because Poison was then super effective against Bug. From Generation II onwards both are resisted (½×). The Fairy resistance applies from Generation VI, when the Fairy type was introduced.
Training & breeding
- Catch rate
- 75
- Base friendship
- 50
- Base experience
- 158
- Growth rate
- Medium Fast
- EV yield
- 1 Sp. Atk, 1 Speed
- Egg groups
- Bug
- Egg cycles
- 20
- Colour
- Purple
- Gender ratio
- 50% male
- Body shape
- bug-wings
Where to find Venomoth
| Game | Year | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Red & Green | 1996 | Wild in the Safari Zone, on Victory Road and in Cerulean Cave; or evolve Venonat |
| Blue (Japan) | 1996 | Wild in the Safari Zone, on Victory Road and in Cerulean Cave; or evolve Venonat |
| Red & Blue | 1998 | Wild in the Safari Zone, on Victory Road and in Cerulean Cave; or evolve Venonat |
| Yellow | 1998 | Wild on Routes 14 and 15 and in Cerulean Cave; or evolve VenonatKoga's Fuchsia Gym team is three Venonat topped off by a level 50 Venomoth. |
| Gold & Silver | 1999 | Wild at night on Routes 24 and 25; or evolve VenonatJanine's ace at the Fuchsia Gym (Lv. 39), and Koga keeps one on his Elite Four team. A Venomoth traded over from the Generation I games arrives holding a Gold Leaf. |
| Crystal | 2000 | Wild at night on Routes 9, 10, 13, 14 and 15 in Kanto and Route 43 in Johto; or evolve Venonat |
| Ruby & Sapphire | 2002 | Not found in Hoenn – trade from FireRed, LeafGreen or Pokémon XD |
| FireRed & LeafGreen | 2004 | Wild in the Safari Zone (Areas 2 and 3) and the Berry Forest; or evolve VenonatWild ones have a 5% chance of holding SilverPowder. |
| Emerald | 2004 | Not found in Hoenn – trade from FireRed, LeafGreen or Pokémon XD |
| Diamond & Pearl | 2006 | Poké Radar on Route 229; or migrate one from a Game Boy Advance game via Pal Park (Forest area)Wild ones have a 5% chance of holding a Shed Shell. |
| Platinum | 2008 | Poké Radar on Route 229; or Pal Park migration |
| HeartGold & SoulSilver | 2009 | Wild at night on Routes 24 and 25; or evolve VenonatJanine's ace at the Fuchsia Gym (Lv. 50), and part of Koga's Elite Four team – a level 63 Venomoth in his rematch. |
| Black & White | 2010 | Dark grass in the Dreamyard |
| Black 2 & White 2 | 2012 | Evolve VenonatJanine uses a Venomoth at the Pokémon World Tournament. |
| X & Y | 2013 | Friend Safari (Bug- and Poison-type safaris) |
| Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | 2014 | Some of the Mirage Islands |
| Sun & Moon | 2016 | Not found in Alola – transfer via Pokémon Bank |
| Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | 2017 | Not found in Alola – transfer via Pokémon Bank |
| Let's Go, Pikachu! & Let's Go, Eevee! | 2018 | Wild on Routes 14 and 15; or evolve VenonatKoga's Fuchsia Gym team ends with a level 44 Venomoth that knows Bug Buzz and Psychic. |
| Sword & Shield | 2019 | Unobtainable |
| Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl | 2021 | Poké Radar on Route 229; several Grand Underground caves after obtaining the National Pokédex |
| Legends: Arceus | 2022 | Unobtainable |
| Scarlet & Violet | 2022 | Wild in Tagtree Thicket (East Province), North Province (Area Two) and Casseroya Lake, and in Area Zero; also in 3★ Tera Raid BattlesIts first brand-new regional Pokédex since Crystal (remakes aside). The Indigo Disk (2023) adds it to the Terarium's Savanna Biome. |
| Legends: Z-A | 2025 | Unobtainable |
Sprites through the ages
Spin-offs & cameos
Pokémon GO
Venomoth has fluttered around Pokémon GO since the game launched in July 2016. You can find one in the wild or evolve a Venonat with 50 Candy, and as a buddy it earns Candy every 3 km. Shiny Venomoth became possible on 1 May 2020, when Shiny Venonat debuted during the Throwback Challenge 2020: Kanto. There is a Shadow Venomoth too: it comes stuck with Frustration, which turns into Return once you purify it. Its moves have shifted over the years: the big update of 16 February 2017 swapped Bug Bite and Poison Fang for Infestation and Silver Wind, Poison Fang returned on 23 January 2020, and Psywave joined its Fast Attacks on 4 March 2025, alongside Confusion and the Charged Attacks Psychic and Bug Buzz. Its base stats in GO are 179 Attack, 143 Defense and 172 Stamina.
The Game Boy Color adaptation includes the Jungle Venomoth card, Shift Poké-Power and all, found in the Laboratory booster packs.
Has its own Stadium Pokédex entry, can be rented for the Poké and Prime Cups, and features on both of Koga's Gym Leader Castle teams.
You can't catch one outright: bag a Venonat and power it up in Evolution mode to add Venomoth to your Pokédex.
When Koga takes you on in the Stadium modes, his line-up is Venomoth, Voltorb and Golbat.
Koga, now of the Elite Four, has a Venomoth on both of his Gym Leader Castle teams – and its Pokédex text switches between the Gold and Silver entries depending on which Game Boy cartridge is plugged in.
Snag a Shadow Venomoth from Cipher Peon Angic in the Cipher Key Lair – it comes holding SilverPowder.
A rare piece that turns up in Secret Storage 1, Huge Storage 4, Endless Level 57 and Mr. Who's Den.
Evolve a Venonat to get one, and it promises: 'I'll dump venomous powder on foes with every flap of my wings!' Its friend area is the Secretive Forest.
Recruitable on Mt. Horn, in Landslide Cave, on Mt. Mistral and deep in Midnight Forest.
Flutters around the same four dungeons as in Explorers of Time and Darkness.
Shows up at Shimmering Lake in the Treetops once you have seen the ending.
Joined through a Pokémon Safari event; its Sleep Combo skill boosts combo damage while the opponent is asleep.
Roams the Black Realm's Obsidian Shrine and Distortion Land's Breezy Grasslands.
Joins your Connection Orb once you complete Pidgey's request – and it proudly declares, 'Scattering scales, I flap my wings!'
In the game since launch: catch one in the wild or feed a Venonat 50 Candy, and look out for its Shiny and Shadow forms.
Found in the Butterfree Sea, the Bulbasaur Sea, the Rayquaza Sea and both versions of the Charizard Sea.
Hatch a Venonat from an Egg and it can evolve into Venomoth, battling beside your own player character as a sync pair.
Lives high in Sky Tower and deep in Purity Forest, and fainted Venomoth may need rescuing at Buried Relic, Wyvern Hill and the Far-Off Sea.
Since the July 2022 anniversary update, a green-and-black Venomoth Boost Emblem adds up to 50 HP at the cost of a sliver of critical-hit rate.
Part of the line-up from version 1.0 as Pokopia Pokédex #020, sharing FireRed's Pokédex text: every flap of its wings looses highly toxic dust.
Moves
Red and Blue gave Venomoth a Venonat-style toolkit with a little extra sparkle: powders, Leech Life and Psybeam, a grand Psychic finale at 50 and a TM case with Razor Wind, Whirlwind and Swift tucked inside. Gold and Silver taught it Gust at the very level its wings appear, Ruby and Sapphire handed it Silver Wind from the start, and Diamond and Pearl rebuilt the whole list around Signal Beam, Zen Headbutt, Poison Fang and a level-59 Bug Buzz.
Black and White then added the move that would come to define it: Quiver Dance, a mesmerising flutter that boosts Special Attack, Special Defence and Speed in one go. X and Y let it know Quiver Dance and Bug Buzz from the start, Sun and Moon made Gust its evolution move and turned Leech Life into an 80-power bite, and Scarlet and Violet swapped Gust for Air Slash, brought Bug Buzz forward to 25 and filled a 44-strong TM case. Not bad for a moth that started out with a handful of powders and a Tackle.
Signature moves
Venomoth's trademark flutter, raising Special Attack, Special Defence and Speed all at once. It arrived as the level-63 finale in Black and White, became a starting move as well from X and Y, comes at 55 in Let's Go, and is a level-1 move in Scarlet and Violet.
A screeching wing-buzz first learned at 59 in Diamond and Pearl. X and Y added it to its starting moves as well, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl made it TM62, and Scarlet and Violet promoted it all the way to level 25.
A shimmering wind laden with powdery scales, listed among its starting moves in every game from Ruby and Sapphire to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, with a spell as TM62 in Generation IV. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl left it out and gave the TM slot to Bug Buzz.
Wings mean wind. Gust arrived at level 31, Venonat's evolution level, in Gold and Silver, became the move Venomoth learns on evolving in Sun and Moon, and in Scarlet and Violet that honour passes to the sharper Air Slash.
The pick of its powder kit. Poison Powder, Stun Spore and Sleep Powder appear in every level-up list it has ever had; Sleep Powder came at 43 in Red and Blue and has sat at 29 ever since Diamond and Pearl, apart from a level-24 slot in Let's Go.
Its big psychic finish: level 50 in Red and Blue, 52 in Gold, Silver, Ruby and Sapphire, and 55 from Diamond and Pearl onwards (37 in Let's Go). It has also been a TM in every one of its games.
Complete learnsets
Generation I · Red, Green, Blue & Yellow12 level-up · 20 TM/HM
Red and Blue have Venomoth in the Safari Zone, on Victory Road and in Cerulean Cave; Yellow moves it to Routes 14 and 15 and Cerulean Cave. The two level-up lists share everything from Leech Life at 27 to Psychic at 50, but they start differently: a Red or Blue Venomoth begins with Tackle, Disable, PoisonPowder (the spelling of the day) and Leech Life, while a Yellow one starts with Tackle, Disable, Supersonic and Confusion and learns PoisonPowder at 22 rather than 24. Its TM case is roomier than Venonat's, with Razor Wind, Whirlwind, Hyper Beam, Teleport and Swift on top, and only Yellow lets it learn Flash from HM05. In this era a move's category is set by its type, so Leech Life is a physical attack and Psybeam a special one. Gust and Screech, learned in Gold, Silver or Crystal, can be carried back through the Time Capsule.
By level-up
| RGB | Y | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 35 | 95 | 35 |
| 1 | 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| N/A | 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| N/A | 1 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 24 | 22 | PoisonPowder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 27 | 27 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
| 30 | 30 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 38 | 38 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 43 | 43 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 50 | 50 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 1 | N/A | PoisonPowder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 1 | N/A | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM02 | Razor Wind | Normal | Physical | 80 | 75 | 10 | |
| TM04 | Whirlwind | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 20 | |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 | |
| TM09 | Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 | |
| TM10 | Double-Edge | Normal | Physical | 100 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM15 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 | |
| TM20 | Rage | Normal | Physical | 20 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM21 | Mega Drain | Grass | Special | 40 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM22 | SolarBeam | Grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM29 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM30 | Teleport | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 | |
| TM31 | Mimic | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 | |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 | |
| TM33 | Reflect | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 | |
| TM34 | Bide | Normal | Physical | — | — | 10 | |
| TM39 | Swift | Normal | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM46 | Psywave | Psychic | Special | — | 80 | 15 | |
| TM50 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| HM05 | Flash | Normal | Status | — | 70 | 20 | Yellow only |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Gust | Gen II (level-up) |
| Screech | Gen II (Egg Move) |
Generation II · Gold, Silver & Crystal13 level-up · 23 TM/HM · 3 egg
Gold and Silver have Venomoth on Routes 24 and 25, and Crystal spreads it across Routes 9, 10, 13, 14, 15 and 43. Foresight and Supersonic join its opening moves, and Gust arrives at 31, the very level at which Venonat evolves, giving the new wings something to do. Psychic now waits until 52. Breeding brings its first Egg Moves, which a Venonat hatches knowing: Baton Pass from Ledyba or Ledian, Giga Drain from Paras or Parasect, and Screech from Spinarak, Ariados, Yanma or Gligar. The new TMs include Curse, the mysterious ???-type, Sweet Scent and Sludge Bomb, its first Poison-type attacking TM. Categories still follow type, so Gust counts as physical and Thief as special. No move tutor teaches it anything.
By level-up
| GSC | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 35 | 95 | 35 |
| 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 1 | Foresight | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 9 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 17 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 20 | PoisonPowder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 25 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
| 28 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 31 | Gust | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 36 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 42 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 52 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM03 | Curse | ??? | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Varies | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM12 | Sweet Scent | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM13 | Snore | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| TM15 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM19 | Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| TM20 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM22 | SolarBeam | Grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM29 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM34 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 |
| TM35 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Physical | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM39 | Swift | Normal | Physical | 60 | — | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Special | 40 | 100 | 10 |
| HM05 | Flash | Normal | Status | — | 70 | 20 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Pass | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Ledyba, Ledian |
| Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Paras, Parasect |
| Screech | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 | Spinarak, Ariados, Yanma, Gligar |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Bide | Gen I (TM) |
| Double-Edge | Gen I (TM) |
| Mega Drain | Gen I (TM) |
| Mimic | Gen I (TM) |
| Psywave | Gen I (TM) |
| Rage | Gen I (TM) |
| Razor Wind | Gen I (TM) |
| Reflect | Gen I (TM) |
| Substitute | Gen I (TM) |
| Take Down | Gen I (TM) |
| Teleport | Gen I (TM) |
| Whirlwind | Gen I (TM) |
Generation III · Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed & LeafGreen (plus the XD move tutors)14 level-up · 20 TM/HM · 4 egg · 8 tutor · 1 event
Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald and Colosseum have no Venomoth of their own, so it has to be traded in. FireRed and LeafGreen bring it back in the Safari Zone and add Berry Forest, and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness hides a Shadow Venomoth in the Cipher Key Lair. Silver Wind joins its opening moves, so it has a Bug-type attack from the start; the rest of the list is the same as in Gold and Silver. Signal Beam joins the Egg Moves, passed down by Volbeat, and Aerial Ace, Facade, Secret Power and Skill Swap join the TMs. The move tutors in FireRed and LeafGreen, Emerald and XD add eight moves, Double-Edge and Substitute among them, and the Shadow Venomoth's regular moves include Refresh, which Venomoth cannot learn any other way. Categories still follow type, so Silver Wind and Signal Beam count as physical here.
By level-up
| RSE/FRLG | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silver Wind | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 35 | 95 | 35 |
| 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 1 | Foresight | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 9 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 17 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 20 | PoisonPowder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 25 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
| 28 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 31 | Gust | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 36 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 42 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 52 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Varies | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM15 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM19 | Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM22 | SolarBeam | Grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM29 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Physical | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM43 | Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Special | 40 | 100 | 10 |
| TM48 | Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| HM05 | Flash | Normal | Status | — | 70 | 20 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Pass | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Ledyba, Ledian, Ninjask |
| Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Paras, Parasect, Beautifly |
| Screech | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 | Yanma, Gligar, Ninjask, Vibrava, Flygon |
| Signal Beam | Bug | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | Volbeat |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double-Edge | Normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Emerald |
| Mimic | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Emerald |
| Snore | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 | Emerald |
| Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 | Emerald, XD |
| Swift | Normal | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | Emerald |
Event moves
| Move | Event |
|---|---|
| Refresh | Shadow Venomoth in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness (Cipher Key Lair) |
Generation IV · Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold & SoulSilver18 level-up · 32 TM/HM · 8 egg · 10 tutor
Diamond, Pearl and Platinum have Venomoth on Route 229 with the Poké Radar, HeartGold and SoulSilver bring back Routes 24 and 25, and a Venomoth from the Game Boy Advance games can come over through Pal Park's Forest area. This is the first generation in which every move has its own physical or special category. The level-up list is rebuilt: most moves arrive much sooner (Supersonic at 5, Leech Life at 17, Psybeam at 25), Gust stays at 31, and Signal Beam, Zen Headbutt and Poison Fang join at 37, 41 and 47. Psychic moves to 55 and Bug Buzz becomes the grand finale at 59. U-turn, Roost, Energy Ball, Silver Wind and Giga Impact are among the new TMs, and Defog is HM05 in Diamond, Pearl and Platinum only. Agility, Bug Bite, Morning Sun and Toxic Spikes join the Egg Moves. Platinum's tutors teach seven moves, from Air Cutter to Zen Headbutt, and HeartGold and SoulSilver add Bug Bite, String Shot and Tailwind.
By level-up
| DPPt/HGSS | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silver Wind | Bug | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 35 | 95 | 35 |
| 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 80 | 20 |
| 1 | Foresight | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 5 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 11 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 13 | PoisonPowder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 17 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
| 23 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 25 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 29 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 31 | Gust | Special | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 37 | Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| 41 | Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 |
| 47 | Poison Fang | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| 55 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 59 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 | |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | — | 100 | 15 | |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 | |
| TM15 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 | |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM19 | Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 60 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM22 | SolarBeam | Grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM29 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 | |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | ||
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM43 | Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 | |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 40 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM48 | Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM51 | Roost | Status | — | — | 10 | ||
| TM53 | Energy Ball | Grass | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM58 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM62 | Silver Wind | Bug | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | |
| TM68 | Giga Impact | Normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 | |
| TM70 | Flash | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM78 | Captivate | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM82 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM83 | Natural Gift | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 | |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 | |
| TM89 | U-turn | Bug | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| HM05 | Defog | Status | — | — | 15 | DPPt only |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agility | Psychic | Status | — | — | 30 | Beedrill, Scyther, Scizor, Ledyba, Ledian, Spinarak, Ariados, Surskit and 2 more |
| Baton Pass | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Ledyba, Ledian, Surskit, Masquerain, Ninjask |
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree, Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Ariados, Pineco and 16 more |
| Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 60 | 100 | 10 | Paras, Parasect, Beautifly |
| Morning Sun | Normal | Status | — | — | 5 | Beautifly |
| Screech | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 | Yanma, Yanmega, Gligar, Gliscor, Ninjask, Vibrava, Flygon, Kricketune |
| Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 | Venonat, Venomoth, Volbeat |
| Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 | Beedrill, Forretress, Drapion |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Cutter | Special | 55 | 95 | 25 | Pt, HGSS | |
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | HGSS |
| Ominous Wind | Ghost | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Pt, HGSS |
| Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 | Pt, HGSS |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 | Pt, HGSS |
| String Shot | Bug | Status | — | 95 | 40 | HGSS |
| Swift | Normal | Special | 60 | — | 20 | Pt, HGSS |
| Tailwind | Status | — | — | 30 | HGSS | |
| Twister | Dragon | Special | 40 | 100 | 20 | Pt, HGSS |
| Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 | Pt, HGSS |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Double-Edge | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mimic | Gen III (tutor) |
| Refresh | Gen III (Shadow Venomoth in Pokémon XD) |
Generation V · Black, White, Black 2 & White 219 level-up · 26 TM/HM · 11 egg · 9 tutor
Black and White have wild Venomoth in the Dreamyard's dark grass, while Black 2 and White 2 rely on evolving a Venonat. Quiver Dance arrives as the new level-63 finale, a fluttering dance that raises Special Attack, Special Defence and Speed in one go. Tackle grows to 50 power and Disable's accuracy rises to 100. Venoshock, Struggle Bug, Round and Acrobatics join the TM case, while Giga Drain, Roost, Skill Swap and Silver Wind are among the moves that drop off it. Rage Powder joins the Egg Moves, and Secret Power and Skill Swap can only be passed down by a parent that learned them in an earlier generation. The Black 2 and White 2 tutors teach nine moves, Giga Drain, Roost and Skill Swap among them.
By level-up
| BW/B2W2 | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silver Wind | Bug | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 50 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 1 | Foresight | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 5 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 11 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 13 | PoisonPowder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 17 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
| 23 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 25 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 29 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 31 | Gust | Special | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 37 | Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| 41 | Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 |
| 47 | Poison Fang | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| 55 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 59 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 63 | Quiver Dance | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM09 | Venoshock | Poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM15 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM22 | SolarBeam | Grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM29 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 40 | 100 | 10 |
| TM48 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| TM53 | Energy Ball | Grass | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM62 | Acrobatics | Physical | 55 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM68 | Giga Impact | Normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM70 | Flash | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM76 | Struggle Bug | Bug | Special | 30 | 100 | 20 |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 |
| TM89 | U-turn | Bug | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agility | Psychic | Status | — | — | 30 | Beedrill, Scyther, Scizor, Ledyba, Ledian, Spinarak, Ariados, Surskit and 9 more |
| Baton Pass | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Ledyba, Ledian, Surskit, Ninjask, Scolipede |
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree, Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Ariados, Pineco and 29 more |
| Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 | Paras, Parasect, Beautifly, Shelmet, Accelgor |
| Morning Sun | Normal | Status | — | — | 5 | Beautifly |
| Rage Powder | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 | Butterfree, Paras, Parasect, Volcarona |
| Screech | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 | Yanma, Yanmega, Gligar, Gliscor, Ninjask, Vibrava, Flygon, Kricketune and 5 more |
| Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | Butterfree, Beedrill, Paras, Parasect, Venonat, Venomoth, Scyther, Scizor and 27 more (the parent must have learned it in an earlier generation) |
| Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 | Venonat, Venomoth, Volbeat, Joltik, Galvantula |
| Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | Butterfree, Venonat, Venomoth, Mothim (the parent must have learned it in an earlier generation) |
| Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 | Beedrill, Forretress, Skorupi, Drapion |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | B2W2 |
| Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 | B2W2 |
| Roost | Status | — | — | 10 | B2W2 | |
| Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 | B2W2 |
| Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | B2W2 |
| Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | B2W2 |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 | B2W2 |
| Tailwind | Status | — | — | 30 | B2W2 | |
| Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 | B2W2 |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Air Cutter | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Captivate | Gen IV (TM) |
| Defog | Gen IV (HM05) |
| Double-Edge | Gen III (tutor) |
| Endure | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (TM) |
| Mimic | Gen III (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Ominous Wind | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Refresh | Gen III (Shadow Venomoth in Pokémon XD) |
| String Shot | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Swift | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Twister | Gen IV (tutor) |
Generation VI · X, Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire21 level-up · 31 TM/HM · 11 egg · 7 tutor
X and Y have Venomoth in Bug-type and Poison-type Friend Safaris, and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire on several Mirage Islands. All four games share one level-up list, which now hands Venomoth Quiver Dance and Bug Buzz from the start as well as at 63 and 59, and modern spellings such as Poison Powder and Solar Beam arrive. Roost and Sleep Talk return as TMs, Struggle Bug grows to 50 power and Thief to 60, Infestation and Confide are new, and Secret Power comes back as TM94 in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire only. Those two are also the only games here with move tutors.
By level-up
| XY/ORAS | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quiver Dance | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 1 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 1 | Silver Wind | Bug | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 50 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 1 | Foresight | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 5 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 11 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 13 | Poison Powder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 17 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
| 23 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 25 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 29 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 31 | Gust | Special | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 37 | Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| 41 | Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 |
| 47 | Poison Fang | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| 55 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 59 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 63 | Quiver Dance | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 | |
| TM09 | Venoshock | Poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 | |
| TM15 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 | |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM19 | Roost | Status | — | — | 10 | ||
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM22 | Solar Beam | Grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM29 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 | |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | ||
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 | |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | |
| TM48 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM53 | Energy Ball | Grass | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM62 | Acrobatics | Physical | 55 | 100 | 15 | ||
| TM68 | Giga Impact | Normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 | |
| TM70 | Flash | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM76 | Struggle Bug | Bug | Special | 50 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM83 | Infestation | Bug | Special | 20 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 | |
| TM88 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM89 | U-turn | Bug | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM94 | Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | ORAS only |
| TM100 | Confide | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agility | Psychic | Status | — | — | 30 | Beedrill, Scyther, Scizor, Ledyba, Ledian, Spinarak, Ariados, Surskit and 9 more |
| Baton Pass | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Ledyba, Ledian, Surskit, Ninjask, Scolipede |
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | Caterpie, Weedle, Ariados, Pineco, Forretress, Shuckle, Wurmple, Ninjask and 20 more |
| Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 | Paras, Parasect, Beautifly, Shelmet, Accelgor |
| Morning Sun | Normal | Status | — | — | 5 | Beautifly |
| Rage Powder | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 | Butterfree, Paras, Parasect, Volcarona |
| Screech | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 | Yanma, Yanmega, Gligar, Gliscor, Ninjask, Vibrava, Flygon, Kricketune and 5 more |
| Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | Butterfree, Beedrill, Paras, Parasect, Venonat, Venomoth, Scyther, Scizor and 27 more (the parent must have learned it in an earlier generation) |
| Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 | Venonat, Venomoth, Volbeat, Joltik, Galvantula |
| Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | Butterfree, Venonat, Venomoth, Mothim (the parent must have learned it in an earlier generation) |
| Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 | Beedrill, Forretress, Skorupi, Drapion |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | ORAS |
| Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 | ORAS |
| Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 | ORAS |
| Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | ORAS |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 | ORAS |
| Tailwind | Status | — | — | 15 | ORAS | |
| Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 | ORAS |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Air Cutter | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Captivate | Gen IV (TM) |
| Defog | Gen IV (HM05) |
| Double-Edge | Gen III (tutor) |
| Endure | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (TM) |
| Mimic | Gen III (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Ominous Wind | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Refresh | Gen III (Shadow Venomoth in Pokémon XD) |
| String Shot | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Swift | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Twister | Gen IV (tutor) |
Generation VII · Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon22 level-up · 29 TM/HM · 11 egg · 8 tutor
Venomoth doesn't live in Alola, so it reaches Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon through Pokémon Bank. One level-up list serves all four games. Gust becomes the move it learns on evolving (it is also listed among the level-1 moves), Psybeam moves up to 17 and Signal Beam to 25, and Leech Life, now an 80-power move with 10 PP, waits until 37 and can also be taught by TM28. Tackle drops to 40 power. Flash, Struggle Bug and Secret Power fall off the TM list. Skill Swap's only Egg Move parent is Cutiefly, so it takes chain breeding, and the Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon tutors teach eight moves, Defog among them.
By level-up
| SM/USUM | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gust | Special | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 1 | Quiver Dance | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 1 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 1 | Silver Wind | Bug | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 1 | Foresight | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| Evo. | Gust | Special | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 5 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 11 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 13 | Poison Powder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 17 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 23 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 25 | Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| 29 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 37 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| 41 | Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 |
| 47 | Poison Fang | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| 55 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 59 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 63 | Quiver Dance | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM09 | Venoshock | Poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM15 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM19 | Roost | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM22 | Solar Beam | Grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM28 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM29 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| TM48 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| TM53 | Energy Ball | Grass | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM62 | Acrobatics | Physical | 55 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM68 | Giga Impact | Normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM83 | Infestation | Bug | Special | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| TM88 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM89 | U-turn | Bug | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM100 | Confide | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agility | Psychic | Status | — | — | 30 | Beedrill, Scyther, Scizor, Ledyba, Ledian, Spinarak, Ariados, Surskit and 9 more |
| Baton Pass | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Ledyba, Ledian, Surskit, Ninjask, Scolipede |
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | Caterpie, Weedle, Ariados, Pineco, Forretress, Shuckle, Wurmple, Ninjask and 26 more |
| Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 | Paras, Parasect, Beautifly, Shelmet, Accelgor |
| Morning Sun | Normal | Status | — | — | 5 | Beautifly |
| Rage Powder | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 | Butterfree, Paras, Parasect, Volcarona |
| Screech | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 | Yanma, Yanmega, Gligar, Gliscor, Ninjask, Vibrava, Flygon, Kricketune and 5 more |
| Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | Butterfree, Beedrill, Paras, Parasect, Venonat, Venomoth, Scyther, Scizor and 45 more (the parent must have learned it in an earlier generation) |
| Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 | Venonat, Venomoth, Volbeat, Joltik, Galvantula |
| Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | Cutiefly (chain breeding needed) |
| Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 | Beedrill, Forretress, Skorupi, Drapion |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | USUM |
| Defog | Status | — | — | 15 | USUM | |
| Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 | USUM |
| Signal Beam | Bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 | USUM |
| Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | USUM |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 | USUM |
| Tailwind | Status | — | — | 15 | USUM | |
| Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 | USUM |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Air Cutter | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Bide | Gen I (TM) |
| Captivate | Gen IV (TM) |
| Curse | Gen II (TM) |
| Double-Edge | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Endure | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (TM) |
| Flash | Gen I (HM05, Yellow only), Gen II (HM05), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Mega Drain | Gen I (TM) |
| Mimic | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Ominous Wind | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Psywave | Gen I (TM) |
| Rage | Gen I (TM) |
| Razor Wind | Gen I (TM) |
| Reflect | Gen I (TM) |
| Refresh | Gen III (Shadow Venomoth in Pokémon XD) |
| String Shot | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Struggle Bug | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Sweet Scent | Gen II (TM) |
| Swift | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Take Down | Gen I (TM) |
| Teleport | Gen I (TM) |
| Twister | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Whirlwind | Gen I (TM) |
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!19 level-up · 16 TM/HM
Venomoth lives on Routes 14 and 15 in both games. These games use their own trimmed movesets: Agility and Screech join its opening moves, Gust comes on evolving, Psychic at 37, Bug Buzz at 46 and Quiver Dance at 55, and its 16 TMs include Headbutt, Teleport, Reflect, Mega Drain and Dream Eater. Values are as in these games, so Mega Drain hits for 75 and Solar Beam for 200. There is no breeding and no move tutor.
By level-up
| LGPE | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gust | Special | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 1 | Agility | Psychic | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 1 | Screech | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 1 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| Evo. | Gust | Special | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 4 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 8 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 12 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 14 | Poison Powder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 16 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 20 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 24 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 28 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| 37 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 46 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 55 | Quiver Dance | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Headbutt | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM04 | Teleport | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM05 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM07 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM08 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM09 | Reflect | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM12 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM18 | U-turn | Bug | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM27 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM40 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM45 | Solar Beam | Grass | Special | 200 | 100 | 10 |
| TM48 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM50 | Roost | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM52 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM53 | Mega Drain | Grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 |
| TM59 | Dream Eater | Psychic | Special | 100 | 100 | 15 |
Generation VIII · Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl22 level-up · 25 TM/HM · 7 egg
Venomoth can't be obtained in Sword and Shield, and it is missing from Legends: Arceus too. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl bring it back on Route 229 with the Poké Radar and, once you have the National Pokédex, in seven Grand Underground caves, from Spacious Cave to Bogsunk Cavern. The level-up list follows Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon's, except that Foresight, Silver Wind and Signal Beam are gone: Whirlwind and Struggle Bug join the opening moves instead, and Mega Drain takes over at 25. Bug Buzz takes TM62, Silver Wind's old slot from Diamond and Pearl, and Defog is now TM97. There are 25 TMs, seven Egg Moves and no move tutors.
By level-up
| BDSP | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gust | Special | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 1 | Quiver Dance | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 1 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 1 | Whirlwind | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 1 | Struggle Bug | Bug | Special | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| Evo. | Gust | Special | 40 | 100 | 35 | |
| 5 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| 11 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 13 | Poison Powder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 17 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 23 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 25 | Mega Drain | Grass | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| 29 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 37 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| 41 | Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 |
| 47 | Poison Fang | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| 55 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 59 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 63 | Quiver Dance | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM15 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM19 | Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 |
| TM22 | Solar Beam | Grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| TM29 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| TM48 | Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM51 | Roost | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM53 | Energy Ball | Grass | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM58 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM62 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM68 | Giga Impact | Normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM70 | Flash | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM82 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| TM89 | U-turn | Bug | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM97 | Defog | Status | — | — | 15 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agility | Psychic | Status | — | — | 30 | Beedrill, Scyther, Scizor, Ledyba, Ledian, Spinarak, Ariados, Surskit and 2 more |
| Baton Pass | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Ledyba, Ledian, Surskit, Masquerain, Ninjask |
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | Caterpie, Butterfree, Weedle, Beedrill, Pinsir, Ariados, Pineco, Forretress and 13 more |
| Morning Sun | Normal | Status | — | — | 5 | Beautifly |
| Rage Powder | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 | Butterfree, Paras, Parasect |
| Screech | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 | Yanma, Yanmega, Gligar, Gliscor, Ninjask, Vibrava, Flygon, Kricketune |
| Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 | Beedrill, Forretress, Skorupi, Drapion |
Generation IX · Scarlet & Violet15 level-up · 44 TM/HM · 8 egg
Scarlet and Violet have Venomoth in Tagtree Thicket in the East Province, in Area Two and around Casseroya Lake in the North Province, in Area Zero and in 3★ Tera Raid Battles, and The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero adds the Savanna Biome of Blueberry Academy's Terarium. Air Slash replaces Gust as the move it learns on evolving, Bug Buzz arrives at 25 instead of Mega Drain, Quiver Dance is now a level-1 move only, and Psychic at 55 closes the list. The TM list swells to 44 moves, with Sludge Wave, Lunge, Pounce, Skitter Smack, Psychic Noise and Tera Blast among the newcomers. Agility, Baton Pass, Bug Bite, Rage Powder, Screech and Toxic Spikes come from parents, Venoshock from a parent that knows it by TM, and Morning Sun only with a Mirror Herb. Values are as in these games, so Rest has 5 PP. There are no move tutors, and Venomoth doesn't appear in Legends: Z-A.
By level-up
| SV | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quiver Dance | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 |
| Evo. | Air Slash | Special | 75 | 95 | 15 | |
| 11 | Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| 13 | Poison Powder | Poison | Status | — | 75 | 35 |
| 17 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| 23 | Stun Spore | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 30 |
| 25 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| 29 | Sleep Powder | Grass | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| 37 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| 41 | Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 |
| 47 | Poison Fang | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| 55 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM001 | Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| TM004 | Agility | Psychic | Status | — | — | 30 |
| TM007 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM013 | Acid Spray | Poison | Special | 40 | 100 | 20 |
| TM014 | Acrobatics | Physical | 55 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM015 | Struggle Bug | Bug | Special | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| TM016 | Psybeam | Psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| TM017 | Confuse Ray | Ghost | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| TM018 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| TM021 | Pounce | Bug | Physical | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| TM025 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM032 | Swift | Normal | Special | 60 | — | 20 |
| TM040 | Air Cutter | Special | 60 | 95 | 25 | |
| TM042 | Night Shade | Ghost | Special | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM045 | Venoshock | Poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| TM047 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM049 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM059 | Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 |
| TM060 | U-turn | Bug | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM065 | Air Slash | Special | 75 | 95 | 15 | |
| TM070 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM085 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM091 | Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM095 | Leech Life | Bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM098 | Skill Swap | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM103 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM111 | Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 |
| TM119 | Energy Ball | Grass | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM120 | Psychic | Psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM132 | Baton Pass | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 |
| TM148 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM152 | Giga Impact | Normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM162 | Bug Buzz | Bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM163 | Hyper Beam | Normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| TM168 | Solar Beam | Grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| TM171 | Tera Blast | Normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM175 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM182 | Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| TM185 | Lunge | Bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| TM204 | Double-Edge | Normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
| TM205 | Endeavor | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 5 |
| TM214 | Sludge Wave | Poison | Special | 95 | 100 | 10 |
| TM219 | Skitter Smack | Bug | Physical | 70 | 90 | 10 |
| TM228 | Psychic Noise | Psychic | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agility | Psychic | Status | — | — | 30 | Scyther, Scizor, Kleavor, Spinarak, Ariados, Surskit, Joltik, Galvantula and 3 more |
| Baton Pass | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Surskit |
| Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 | Ariados, Yanma, Yanmega, Pineco, Forretress, Kricketot, Combee, Sewaddle and 18 more |
| Morning Sun | Normal | Status | — | — | 5 | Mirror Herb only: Venonat or Venomoth must hold a Mirror Herb to copy it from another Pokémon |
| Rage Powder | Bug | Status | — | — | 20 | Volcarona |
| Screech | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 | Yanma, Yanmega, Gligar, Gliscor, Vibrava, Flygon, Kricketune, Joltik and 5 more |
| Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 | Forretress |
| Venoshock | Poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 | No Bug-group Pokémon learns it by levelling up, but a Venonat-line, Spinarak-line, Pineco-line or Gligar-line parent that knows it from TM045 can pass it on, or it can be copied with a Mirror Herb |
04On screen
Venomoth in the anime
Debut EP032The Ninja Poké-Showdown · Its appearances on screen, and 5 other trainers who raised one.
Venomoth fluttered into the anime in style. Its debut at the Fuchsia Gym was also a transformation: Koga's Venonat evolved in the middle of his battle with Ash, then left Pidgeotto paralysed and asleep with a double dose of powders before Team Rocket crashed the party (EP032). Since then it has been a favourite of battlers and performers alike, from Katie, who led off her Ever Grande Conference Full Battle against Ash with one (AG128), to the Coordinator Chaz, whose tea-pouring Appeal took him all the way to the Rustboro Contest final (AG013).
Ash has never owned one, but two of his travelling companions have. Goh caught a Venomoth in Vermilion Forest (JN006) and it soon became Butterfree's Stun Spore partner at Cerise Park, while Tracey's faithful Venonat turned up as a Venomoth when Ash came home at the end of his journey (JN147). Elsewhere, Pikachu flattened Raymond's Venomoth with a single Thunderbolt in the very first film, and Jessie learned the hard way that a Venomoth costume does not fool a real one (EP161).
Other trainers’ Venomoth
First seen: EP032The Ninja Poké-Showdown
Evolved: EP032The Ninja Poké-Showdown
Venomoth's anime story begins at the ninja Gym Leader's trap-filled Gym in the woods outside Fuchsia City. Ash had just beaten Koga's sister Aya and her Venonat, so he expected an easy ride, but Koga's more experienced Venonat evolved into Venomoth moments after it was sent out (EP032). It paralysed Pidgeotto with Stun Spore, straight through an attempted Whirlwind, then added Sleep Powder for good measure, and Ash had to call Pidgeotto back. Charmander burned away its next Stun Spore with Flamethrower just as Team Rocket crashed through the ceiling and glued everyone in place, Venomoth included, until Misty's Psyduck blasted them free. Koga was so impressed that he offered to trade for Psyduck, Misty refused, and when the battle resumed outside he switched to Golbat and Charmander won Ash the Soul Badge.
- EP032The Ninja Poké-Showdown · vs Pidgeotto Won
- EP032The Ninja Poké-Showdown · vs Charmander Interrupted
First seen: EP084The Lost Lapras
Tracey Sketchit's radar-eyed Venonat was at his side from his very first episode: on the day he met Ash it tracked Team Rocket's getaway truck after they stole a baby Lapras (EP084). Across the Orange Islands it scouted for whatever its Pokémon Watcher partner wanted to find, put an injured Scyther to sleep so Tracey could catch it (EP097) and tackled Team Rocket on Ascorbia Island (EP106). It was last seen as a Venonat helping to break up a Water-versus-Grass squabble at Professor Oak's Laboratory (EP225). When Ash came home to Pallet Town at the end of his journey, Tracey's partner had quietly evolved into a Venomoth (JN147), the first of his Pokémon ever to evolve in his care.
First seen: JN006Working My Way Back to Mew!
Goh's Venomoth was part of his whirlwind Bug-catching spree in Vermilion Forest: after a short chase it became one of a dozen Bug Pokémon he caught that day, alongside Caterpie, Butterfree, Scyther and a Venonat (JN006). At Cerise Park it is often found at Butterfree's side. The pair love to combine their Stun Spore to cover a wider area: during a park-wide feud over missing food they paralysed Darmanitan's gang, and a few innocent pond Pokémon, without waiting to be asked (JN023). Later a tearful Goh had them release a cloud of powder that revealed his Sobble crying up a tree (JN029), and Venomoth was there for the surprise farewell party the lab threw for Goh and Ash (JN136).
First seen: AG128Shocks and Bonds
Katie, the 'Cool Beauty' of Lilycove City, opened her Full Battle against Ash at the Ever Grande Conference with Venomoth (AG128). When its Stun Spore bounced off Torkoal's Iron Defense, Venomoth used Disable to lock the move away, then dodged a Flamethrower before Katie called it back, leaving Golduck to finish Torkoal off. It returned on the water field in the second half, where its Supersonic was wasted on an already confused Corphish, and Ash swapped in Swellow for a fast aerial duel (AG129). Disable stopped Peck in its tracks, but Aerial Ace knocked Venomoth towards the water and a Quick Attack finished it, and Ash went on to win the match with Grovyle.
- AG128Shocks and Bonds · vs Torkoal Unknown
- AG129A Judgment Brawl · vs Swellow Lost
First seen: AG013All Things Bright and Beautifly!
Chaz and his Venomoth turned up in the episode that set May on the road to becoming a Coordinator: an over-powered Whirlwind had just sent his friend and rival Janet's Beautifly fluttering off, and it landed on May (AG013). In the Rustboro City Contest's Appeal Round, Venomoth used Confusion to tip a teapot and pour a cup of tea, a charming routine worth 29.5 points, and it went on to reach the final against that same Beautifly. Gust blew its Stun Spore away and its Psybeam landed hard, but Beautifly's dazzling Morning Sun helped Janet edge ahead as time ran out. When Team Rocket's nets scooped up both Bug Pokémon, May's Torchic set them free, and Venomoth and Beautifly blasted the villains away with a joint Gust.
- AG013All Things Bright and Beautifly! · vs Beautifly Lost
- AG013All Things Bright and Beautifly! · vs Team Rocket Won
Ash & Venomoth
Ash has never caught a Venomoth, but he has battled a few. Koga's freshly evolved Venomoth paralysed Pidgeotto and put it to sleep at the Fuchsia Gym (EP032), and at the Ever Grande Conference Katie's Venomoth sealed away Torkoal's Iron Defense and Swellow's Peck with Disable before Swellow knocked it out (AG128, AG129). Closer to home, his friend Tracey's Venonat grew into a Venomoth, and his Journeys partner Goh caught one in Vermilion Forest (JN006).
Featured episodes
- EP161The Bug Stops HereBarred from the Bug-Catching Contest, Team Rocket try luring Bug Pokémon in the National Park with a stolen Venomoth costume. Jessie's disguise draws in a real Venomoth, which soon realises she is a fake and leaves her paralysed with Stun Spore.
More appearances
- EP075Round One – Begin! A Trainer's Venomoth competes in the opening round of the Indigo Plateau Conference.
- EP097Tracey Gets Bugged A Venomoth is among the Bug Pokémon on Murcott Island, where Tracey goes Bug hunting.
- EP103Misty Meets Her Match Trovita Island Gym Leader Rudy keeps a Venomoth among the Pokémon at his Gym.
- EP121Illusion Confusion! A Venomoth is among the illusions conjured up by a group of Haunter and Gengar.
- AG176The Ole' Berate and Switch! A Team Rocket Grunt has a Venomoth.
- DP077Staging a Heroes' Welcome! A Coordinator's Venomoth performs in the Performance Stage of the Wallace Cup.
Anime gallery
Anime trivia
- Venomoth's anime debut was a surprise evolution: Koga's Venonat transformed moments after he sent it out at the Fuchsia Gym (EP032). In the Japanese version Brock wonders whether it is the ninja substitution trick Kawarimi no Jutsu; the English dub calls it a "Metamorphosis attack".
- In that same battle, Venomoth's Stun Spore and Sleep Powder both hit Pidgeotto, leaving it paralysed and asleep at once, something the games never allow. The animators also coloured the Sleep Powder like Stun Spore.
- In the Japanese version of The Bug Stops Here (EP161), the Who's That Pokémon? silhouette was Jessie in her Venomoth costume. The English dub used Cubone instead.
- Professor Oak's Pokémon Lecture after the Japanese version of Wings 'N' Things (EP177) was all about Venomoth, and his senryū punned on Sleep Powder: "Nemuri kona / nemurenu yoru no / Morufon yo", roughly "Sleep Powder: Venomoth, for the nights you cannot sleep".
- Venomoth was the right answer in the dub's Pokémon Trainer's Choice quiz in A Shroomish Skirmish (AG082), which asked which Pokémon was the best choice to battle Sunflora. Wailmer and Gastly were the other options.
- Tracey's Venomoth is the first of his Pokémon ever to evolve in his care; its new form was revealed in The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master! (JN147).
- Eric Stuart voiced Koga's, Katie's and Chaz's Venomoth in the English dub, while Chinami Nishimura voiced both Koga's Venonat and Katie's Venomoth in Japanese.
“Venomoth, an evolved form of Venonat. Tiny scales on its wings disperse various spores when they are flapped.”
Ash's Pokédex (Dexter) · EP032
05On the big screen
Venomoth in the movies
3 films featuring Venomoth.
Venomoth has never had a starring role on the big screen, but it has been there since the very beginning. In the opening battle of the first film, Raymond's Venomoth is one of the Pokémon flattened by Pikachu's Thunderbolt, and in the 2019 CGI remake it is flattened in exactly the same way. In I Choose You! a wild Venomoth is one of the Pokémon that Marshadow turns against Ash on Mount Tensei.
Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back
M01 · 1998
Raymond's Venomoth
Venomoth is in Pokémon's very first film from the opening minutes, though not for long. The Trainer Raymond interrupts Ash's lunch with a challenge and plays dirty by sending out several Pokémon at once, so Venomoth ends up facing Ash's Pikachu alongside Golem and Pinsir. Pikachu's Thunderbolt knocks it out in no time, and Ash's easy win over Raymond is what leads to his invitation to New Island.
Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!
M20 · 2017
A wild Venomoth controlled by Marshadow
When Ash and his friends reach the crystal-like structure on Mount Tensei, Marshadow, acting as Ho-Oh's agent, takes over the wild Pokémon and sets them on the humans. A Venomoth is one of the Pokémon that fall under its control. The spell only breaks when Marshadow and its army are blasted away, which frees them from the Rainbow Wing's corruption.
Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution
M22 · 2019
Raymond's Venomoth
The CGI remake replays Raymond's ambush with one change to his line-up: a Drowzee takes Golem's place. Bulbasaur's Solar Beam beats Donphan and Squirtle's Bubble Beam overwhelms Machamp. Then a single Thunderbolt from Pikachu takes out Drowzee, Venomoth and Pinsir at once, while Mewtwo watches the whole fight through a camera carried by its spy Fearow.
06Trading Card Game · every card
Venomoth in the Pokémon TCG
20 cards since 1999, oldest first. Tap any card to see it full size.
Venomoth first fluttered on to cards in Japan's Pokémon Jungle expansion in March 1997 and reached English players with Jungle in June 1999. That Ken Sugimori holo set the tone: a Stage 1 Grass Pokémon with a Pokémon Power, Shift, that changes its type, and an attack that can Confuse and Poison at the same time. Ever since, Venomoth has been the card game's powder specialist. Nearly every card it gets scatters scales, dust or spores that send foes to sleep, paralyse or poison them, and a few even let you pick the condition yourself. Trainers have taken a shine to it too: Sabrina's Venomoth arrived in Gym Heroes, Neo Destiny turned it into a gentle Light Venomoth, and Japan's Pokémon VS gave Janine a Basic Venomoth of her own. Its biggest card is Venomoth-GX from Unbroken Bonds (2019), a 200 HP ninja whose Shinobi Mastery rewards playing Koga's Trap or Janine, a fitting tribute to the Fuchsia City father and daughter who rely on Venomoth in the games.
The artwork has passed through plenty of hands. Mitsuhiro Arita illustrated the glossy 1998 vending-machine card and the Secret Wonders card, while Masako Yamashita, Yukiko Baba, Tomokazu Komiya and Hideaki Hakozaki each drew it once. Kagemaru Himeno leads the pack with three, from EX FireRed & LeafGreen to Silver Tempest and 151. 5ban Graphics brought computer-rendered art to Phantom Forces and to Venomoth-GX, whose Full Art and Rainbow Rare versions are its flashiest cards. Mina Nakai's Unbroken Bonds picture came back in 2024 as Venomoth's only card in Pokémon TCG Pocket. There hasn't been a new paper Venomoth since 151 in 2023, so a Mega Evolution-era moth is still waiting in the wings.
Cards to know
- Jungle 13/64 — Ken Sugimori's holo can Shift into the type of any other Pokémon in play, and the earliest Unlimited holos left the factory without the Jungle set symbol.
- Gym Heroes 34/132 (Sabrina's Venomoth) — Sabrina's moth soothes your whole team with Healing Pollen and scrambles foes with a Psychic-powered Sonic Distortion.
- Neo Destiny 53/105 (Light Venomoth) — The politest Venomoth ever printed: Mysterious Wing hands your opponent a card back from their discard pile before you take one too.
- Skyridge 111/144 — Swipe it through an e-Reader and the dot-code strip unlocks a secret Poké-Power, Winding Back, that rescues a card from your discard pile.
- Pokémon VS 063/141 (Janine's Venomoth, Japan only) — A Basic Venomoth that skips Venonat altogether, with Magic Dust letting you pick which Special Condition to inflict.
- Unbroken Bonds 12/214 (Venomoth-GX) — A ninja moth fit for Fuchsia City: Shinobi Mastery hits harder after Koga's Trap and turns defensive after Janine, a nod to the father and daughter who train Venomoth in the games.
Every English-language card
Japan-exclusive cards
Pokémon TCG Pocket
Digital card games
- Pokémon Trading Card Game (Game Boy Color): Jungle Venomoth (Ken Sugimori), card D06, from the Laboratory booster pack. One copy each is in the Insect Collection and Jungle decks from the Auto Deck Machine (after the Grass Medal), and Grass Club member Heather plays two in her Kaleidoscope Deck.
- Pokémon Card GB2 (Japan only): Jungle Venomoth (Ken Sugimori), card A09, in the Beginning Pokémon pack; Grass Club member Kristin runs three in her Glittering Scales Deck.
- Pokémon Card GB2 (Japan only): the vending-machine Venomoth (Mitsuhiro Arita), card D13, Common, in the Psychic Battle pack. Team GR's Midori plays two in her Insect Collection Deck, Bishop (third of the five Dungeon Masters in the Game Center's Card Dungeon) two in his Texture Tuner 7 Deck, and the Ominous Meadow Deck has three.
- Pokémon TCG Online / Pokémon TCG Live: no digital-exclusive Venomoth cards.
The artists behind the cards
- Kagemaru Himeno — 3 artworks (EX FireRed & LeafGreen, Silver Tempest, 151)
- Ken Sugimori — 2 (Jungle, reprinted in Base Set 2; Sabrina's Venomoth in Gym Heroes)
- Mitsuhiro Arita — 2 (Vending Expansion Sheet 2, reprinted in Pokémon Web; Secret Wonders)
- 5ban Graphics — 2 cards (Phantom Forces; Venomoth-GX in Unbroken Bonds, in regular, Full Art and Rainbow Rare prints)
- Mina Nakai — 1 (Unbroken Bonds 11), reused for Pokémon TCG Pocket's Genetic Apex 017
- One artwork each: Masako Yamashita (Light Venomoth), Yukiko Baba (Skyridge), Tomokazu Komiya (Janine's Venomoth), Hideaki Hakozaki (Triumphant)
07On the page & beyond
Venomoth in manga, books & other media
From the earliest manga to story books and songs.
On paper, Venomoth's finest hour belongs to Sabrina. Pokémon Adventures gives her Venomoth a chapter of its own, 'Valiant Venomoth!', in which it keeps trying to snatch Lorelei's voodoo dolls from Cloyster's shell and finally drains Cloyster with Mega Drain. The species' first appearance in that series, back in the third chapter, is less glorious: Blue beats a wild Venomoth only to realise he already has one. Toshihiro Ono's comic of the first film gives Raymond's Venomoth the same short shrift as the movie, and Miho Asada's Yeah! I Got Pokémon! has Shu's rival Tomio swipe a Venomoth that Pikachu had softened up. In Scholastic's Psyduck Ducks Out, Koga even offers to swap his Venomoth for Misty's Psyduck. Musically, Venomoth has a verse written by Satoshi Tajiri in Bug Pokémon Part 2, and it is named in the English Pokérap and in Japan's Pokémon Ieru Kana?
Manga
Books
Other media
More from the page
08Did you know?
Venomoth trivia
Name origins, design secrets and the facts that make Venomoth such a fan favourite.
What’s in a name?
Venomoth's English name does exactly what it says on the tin: venom plus moth, a fair warning for anything that showers its foes in toxic dust. The Japanese name, Morufon (written Morphon), is a little more poetic. It may come from metamorphosis – apt for a Pokémon that transforms from round, fuzzy Venonat into a winged moth – or from Morpho, the genus of shimmering blue butterflies, a link that Shiny Venomoth's colours make all the more fitting. Other languages add their own twist: in France it is Aéromite, from aéro- (air) and mite (moth), while the Korean Donari is built from dok (poison) and nalda (to fly).
Design origins
Venomoth is a moth through and through, and its likeliest models are the swallowtail moths of the family Uraniidae, many of which are toxic. Its face and taste for insects also hint at lacewings, delicate predators that, like many moths, flutter towards lights after dark; the design may even be a nod to the so-called moth lacewings (Ithonidae). Its Shiny colouring, meanwhile, closely resembles the blue morpho butterfly, Morpho rhetenor. The look has been fine-tuned over the years: early official artwork showed yellow spots on the backs of its wings that later art dropped, and its official artwork – like several of its cards – shows the wings as translucent.
Names around the world
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | モルフォン Morufon (Morphon) | Possibly from metamorphosis, or from Morpho, a genus of butterflies |
| French | Aéromite | From aéro- (air) and mite (moth) |
| German | Omot | Plays on venom and Motte (moth) |
| Spanish | Venomoth | Same as the English name |
| Italian | Venomoth | Same as the English name |
| Brazilian Portuguese | Venomoth | Same as the English name |
| Korean | 도나리 Donari | From 독 dok (poison), 날다 nalda (to fly) and the diminutive suffix -이 -i |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 摩魯蛾 / 摩鲁蛾 Mólǔé | Partly transcribes the Japanese name, plus 蛾 é (moth) |
| Chinese (Mandarin, older media) | 末入蛾 Mòrùé | Partly transcribes the Japanese name, plus 蛾 é (moth) |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 摩魯蛾 Mōlóuh'ngòh | Partly transcribes the Japanese name, plus 蛾 (moth) |
| Chinese (Cantonese, older media) | 魔魯風 Mōlóuhfūng | Transcribes the Japanese name, with 風 (wind) |
| Hindi | वेनोमॉथ Venomoth | Transcription of the English name |
| Russian | Веномот Venomot | Transcription of the English name |
| Thai | มอร์ฟอน Mofon | Transcription of the Japanese name |
| Lithuanian | Venomotas | From the English name |
Did you know?
- Venomoth shares its category with Dustox: both are the Poison Moth Pokémon.
- Before Generation III, its category was written as a single word in capitals: POISONMOTH.
- After Crystal, Venomoth and Venonat went nearly 22 years without a place in a brand-new regional Pokédex until Scarlet and Violet.
- Its Crystal sprite is different from its Gold and Silver sprites, making Venomoth one of the few Pokémon with three different Generation II sprites.
- Its Ruby and Sapphire sprite palette includes two shades of yellow that never actually appear on the sprite.
- Early official artwork gave Venomoth yellow spots on the backs of its wings; later artwork quietly removed them.
- Venomoth was the very first Pokémon to have its Pokédex entry shown in Pokémon Adventures, in the third chapter, 'The Secret of Kangaskhan'.
- Its first card, Jungle Venomoth, is a level 28 Pokémon – even though Venonat doesn't evolve into it until level 31 in the games.
- That card's Poké-Power, Shift, is called 'Color Change' in Japanese – an Ability Venomoth can't have – while its Venom Powder attack shares its Japanese name with Shield Dust, an Ability it can.
- In Generation I, Bug-type moves were super effective against Venomoth, because Bug beat Poison back then; since Generation II it resists them.
- In Pokémon Yellow, Koga swaps his usual Koffing and Weezing for three Venonat and a level 50 Venomoth.
- Venomoth is on all four of Koga's Gym Leader Castle teams across Pokémon Stadium and Stadium 2.
- Janine brings a Venomoth to the Pokémon World Tournament in Black 2 and White 2.
- A Venomoth caught in the Generation I games and traded forward to Gold, Silver or Crystal arrives holding a Gold Leaf.
- The Shadow Venomoth you can snag in Pokémon XD always holds SilverPowder.
- Ash's Pokédex first described Venomoth in 'The Ninja Poké-Showdown', the very episode in which Koga's Venonat evolves into one mid-battle.
- Tracey Sketchit's Venonat was revealed to have evolved into a Venomoth in the Pokémon Ultimate Journeys episode 'The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!'.
- Pokémon UNITE has a Venomoth Boost Emblem: green and black, it trades a little critical-hit rate for extra HP.
09Quizzes, archive & further reading
More Venomoth
Test yourself
Professor Oak's Kanto Quiz: BeginnerProfessor Oak has a few questions before you set foot in the tall grass. How well do you know the region where it all began?Take the quiz →
Who's That Pokémon? Kanto: BeginnerIt's the classic challenge! Can you name these original 151 Pokémon from their silhouettes alone?Take the quiz →
Indigo League Anime: IntermediateGrab your cap and set off on Ash's very first adventure. How much do you remember from the Indigo League days?Take the quiz →
Mewtwo Strikes Back: BeginnerThe film that brought Pokémon to cinemas everywhere! How well do you remember Pokémon: The First Movie?Take the quiz →
Pokémon TCG: IntermediateShuffle up and draw! From the very first booster packs to the digital age, how well do you know the Pokémon Trading Card Game?Take the quiz →
Pokémon General Knowledge: IntermediateReady to dig deeper? Test what you know about where Pokémon came from, the people behind it and its many spin-offs.Take the quiz →From the archive: Gengar’s Online Pokédex
Before this page, Pokémon Dungeon was home to Gengar’s Online Pokédex, the classic fan Pokédex for Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver & Crystal by Curtis Alumbaugh (Gengar) with Ian Alumbaugh (Haunter). Its Venomoth entry is preserved in full, with its original art, moves and locations.
Further reading
Pokémon and all related names, artwork, sprites, screenshots and card images are © Nintendo, Creatures Inc., GAME FREAK inc. and The Pokémon Company, used here for fan commentary. Images via the Bulbagarden Archives. Page updated 28 October 2026.