Hunting the elusive Gillopod in Monster Hunter Wilds can feel like chasing shadows-this rare, larger cousin of the Pillopod clings to the vertical walls of the Ruins of Wyveria, teasing players with its shimmering blue glow and red eyes. To track down this mysterious endemic lifeform, venture to Area 8 or the Crumbling Structures in Area 2, scan the walls carefully, and prepare your capture net-because finding and catching a Gillopod is key to completing Dareel’s special research and unlocking unique rewards.
This is the fifth side quest in Dareel and Samin’s ongoing feud – you’ve already caught a tracktail lizard, dapperwing, ember rufflizard, and a rime beetle. Now, you need to find gillopods.
Our Monster Hunter Wilds guide will tell you when and where to find a gillopod location and how to catch them.
Where to find a gillopod location in Monster Hunter Wilds
To find a Gillopod in Monster Hunter Wilds, head to the Ruins of Wyveria, particularly around Area 8, where they are most commonly found sticking to large ruined walls. These creatures are larger and more vibrant than their relatives, the Pillopods, with distinctive blue markings and bright orange eyes. The best time to encounter Gillopods is during the environmental event “Wyvern’s Wakening,” and if you don’t see any initially, resting at a tent or fast traveling away and back can help respawn them. Use your capture net to catch them easily, as they do not attempt to escape. After capturing a Gillopod, return to Dareel at Windward Plains to complete the related side quest and claim your rewards.
Gillopods are a larger version of pillopods, and those only show up at one location in the Ruins of Wyveria that we’ve been able to find.
To find a gillopod location, head to the pop-up camp at Area 2: Crumbling Structures. Head out through the tunnel and you’ll be facing a carved stone wall that will most likely have several pillopods on it.
Gillopods are a little larger and brighter than the average pillopod and have orange eyes.
It seems like gillopods are most common during the environment event, “Wyvern’s Wakening.” Several story missions lock you out of changing the time of day by resting, but if it’s available, you can change the environment by resting in a tent or at your portable BBQ grill.
How to catch a gillopod in Monster Hunter Wilds
To catch a Gillopod in Monster Hunter Wilds, first head to the Ruins of Wyveria, particularly around Area 8 near the pop-up camp at the Crumbling Structures or near Area 2. Look for the Gillopods on large walls where they appear as bigger, blueish creatures with vivid orange-red eyes, often alongside smaller pink Pillopods. Equip your Capture Net from the inventory or radial menu, then approach the Gillopod until the rectangular reticle turns yellow-orange, indicating you are in range. Instead of the usual attack button, press L2/LT and then throw the net to capture it. The Gillopods do not try to escape, so you can take your time. After capturing one, return to Dareel to complete the quest and receive rewards like Gloamgrass and Honey.
Once you’ve spotted a rime beetle, all that’s left is to capture them. Equip your capture net either from the item bar or from your Essential Items radial menu.
With the new rectangle reticle, approach the gillopod (they don’t really acknowledge your presence, so don’t worry about stealth here) until the reticle turns yellow-orange and fire it. Just make sure you hit L2/LT and not the usual Square/X.
With the quest complete, you’ll have to wait a bit to get the next side quest in the series, “Samin’s Special Research Report,” which has you track down a sandstar.
Want to know the easiest way to spot a rare Gillopod in Monster Hunter Wilds
The easiest way to spot a rare Gillopod in Monster Hunter Wilds is to head to the Ruins of Wyveria, specifically Area 2: Crumbling Structures, near the pop-up camp. From there, exit through the tunnel and look up at the carved stone walls where Gillopods cling. They are larger and more vibrant than their common counterparts, Pillopods, with a distinctive blue color and bright red or orange eyes, making them easier to identify.
To increase your chances, capture all Pillopods in the area to clear spawn points, then fast travel away and return to reset spawns until a Gillopod appears. Setting the environment to “Plenty” by resting at camp can also help improve spawn rates. Once spotted, equip your capture net and use the L2/LT button to catch the Gillopod at your own pace, as they do not flee. This method is considered both straightforward and efficient for completing Dareel’s special research quest involving the Gillopod.
What visual cues help me identify a rare Gillopod quickly
The quickest visual cues to identify a rare Gillopod in Monster Hunter Wilds are its distinctive size, color, and glowing eyes. Unlike common Pillopods, Gillopods are noticeably larger and exhibit a vibrant blue body with bright red or orange eyes that stand out against the stone walls they cling to. Their shimmering blue glow and the contrast of their eye color serve as immediate visual signals that help hunters spot them easily from a distance. These color and size cues are key because vivid colors and scale differences naturally draw attention, making the Gillopod visually distinct in its environment.
