Bug-type Pokemon are known for having early evolutions with some evolving as low as level 10. The one major exception is Larvesta, who evolves into Volcarona at level 59. The Pokemon in Pokemon GO don't have levels, so how is Larvesta supposed to evolve?
Along with Magikarp and a few others, Larvesta will only evolve when fed an incredible amount of Candy in Pokemon GO. While this normally wouldn't be an issue, players will struggle to farm Candy for this Bug/Fire-type Pokemon, as it's not something that can be stumbled upon in the wild just yet.
Where to Get Larvesta
Larvesta was recently added to Pokemon GO as a hatchable Pokemon from 5km Eggs. It's also the rarest Pokemon to hatch from that egg pool, being at a 5-star/egg chance of hatching.
Like any other Egg, the 5km Egg will only hatch if it's placed in an incubator. Once that's taken care of, the Egg will warm up as steps are taken towards the 5km mark.
2km - 10km Eggs are obtained from spinning Poke Stop or Gyms. Unfortunately, it's randomized, so there's no guarantee players will get a 5km Egg from their first spin. Players can also only hold up to 9 Eggs at a time, and 3 Strange Eggs, which have their own category.
To use an Incubator, do the following:
- Tap the Poke Ball/menu icon at the bottom of the main screen.
- Select Pokemon (the Pikachu icon) to pull up the Pokemon Storage.
- Slide right to tab over to the Eggs page.
- Select an Egg, then select Incubate.
Each Pokemon GO players will have one Egg Incubator that never breaks. If they want more Egg Incubators, they can buy them from the in-game store. One Egg Incubator is 150 Poke Coins; one Super Incubator is 200 Poke Coins. These Incubators will break after three uses.
Sometimes Pokemon GO will have Limited Time Only! Boxes in the shop that contain incubators. The Voyager Box is 1750 Poke Coins, but it has:
- x8 Super Incubator
- x10 Egg Incubator
- x40 Ultra Ball
A Super Incubator will halve the distance needed to hatch an Egg. So, if players wanted to put a 5km Egg into a Super Incubator, they would only need to walk 1.7km instead of the full 5km.
How to Evolve Larvesta into Volcarona
While Larvesta and its evolution have finally made it into Pokemon GO, they are currently Egg-exclusive Pokemon. This means they can't be caught in the wild, which hinders it. During an encounter, trainers can throw Pinap Berries or Silver Pinap Berries to double the amount of Candy they get from the Pokemon (after a successful catch).
Larvesta needs 400 Larvesta Candies in order to evolve. Larvesta Candies can be farmed by hatching more Larvestas, or setting a Larvesta as a Buddy Pokemon. When a 5km Egg hatches, players will get around 20 Pokemon Candy. If players have Larvesta as a Buddy, it will find one Larvesta Candy for every 5km.
To set a Buddy, click on the trainer icon in the bottom left corner, then tap the Buddy icon beneath the Trainer Level EXP bar.
How to Get Larvesta Candies Fast
There isn't a way to speed up the Candy-farming process for Egg-exclusive Pokemon. The best way to get Candies in bulk is by hatching Eggs. Since Larvesta is the rarest Pokemon in the 5km pool, this means players are more likely to get the more common Pokemon (such as Machop and Tyrogue) before they ever get a Larvesta.
However, Pokemon GO occasionally hosts events that double the Candy earned from hatching Eggs. Players can check ongoing events by doing the following:
- Select the Binoculars icon.
- Swipe left to the Today tab.
- Below the Timed Research are Current Seasons. Sometimes, an event will have "1.5x Hatch Candy" or more.
If players are walking with Larvesta, then they can decrease the Walking Progress for Candy by feeding it a Poffin. Players can get Poffins from certain Special Research and even Field Research (AR Scan). They can also buy them from the store for 100 Poke Coins.
Because Poffins are difficult to come by, players should only use them when they'll have time for Pokemon GO. A Poffin's effect will last 6hrs, and the Hearts gained from activities will also double. Thus, it's best to use them sparingly.
Pokemon GO is available for mobile devices.