Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Secrets Tom Nook doesn’t want you to know

Stumps are actually useful

If you’ve ever cut down a tree you’d notice that you leave a stump behind. Your first instinct is to take out your shovel and yeet it into whatever pocket dimension things in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Hold off and hear me out.

Stumps actually have two uses. One, like in the picture above, is to serve as chairs. If you’re willing to plant a bunch of trees and relocate them through trail and error you can actually find some tree stumps with patterns on it like a heart or a star. These odds are increased if you cut the trees down with a golden axe or not. Personally, I haven’t had any luck myself though but I also haven’t tried yet.

Also, believe it or not, you need stumps if you’re looking to complete your museum. Certain insects, like the Citrus Long-horned Beetle, do not show up in your town unless they have a stump to chill on. Another reason I built that campfire scene in front of my house is so that when I leave my house there’s a chance I can find a bug just chilling there, taking in the ambiance.