Hollow Knight: How to Find the Grubs in the Hive

Team Cherry’s Metroidvania action-adventure game, Hollow Knight, follows the journey of a nameless warrior called the Knight as he travels through Hallownest, a kingdom ruined by a supernatural disease. Throughout the Knight’s journeys, he will encounter various characters who help unravel the game’s story, including cute little creatures called Grubs.

Grubs are small green creatures trapped inside glass jars that the Knight will find throughout Hallownest. These Grubs were trapped by a Void creature named The Collector who loves to, well, collect bugs that are both dead and alive all around Hallownest and preserve them in glass jars.

The Knight will know if a Grub is nearby as its high-pitched crying can be heard in its general direction. Once the Knight finds one, the Knight can free them by striking the glass jar with the Nail to break it. After the Knight frees a Grub, it will do a little high-pitched shout of joy and burrow into the ground to return to its colony with the Grubfather.

There are a total of 46 Grubs all over Hallownest, and there are a few rewards for freeing a specific number of Grubs:

• For the first four Grubs found, the Grubfather, found in the northwesternmost part of the Forgotten Crossroads, will reward the Knight with Geo (10 Geo for the first Grub, 20 Geo for the second, 30 Geo for the third, and 40 Geo for the fourth Grub found).
• After freeing the fifth Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with a Mask Shard.
• After freeing the sixth to ninth Grubs, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with Geo (50 Geo for the sixth, 60 Geo for the seventh, 70 Geo for the eighth, and 80 Geo for the ninth Grub found).
• After freeing the tenth Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight the Grubsong Charm, which allows the Knight to gain Soul when taking damage.
• After freeing the 11th to 15th Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with Geo (90 Geo for the 11th, 100 Geo for the 12th, 110 Geo for the 13th, 120 Geo for the 14th, and 130 Geo for the 15th Grub found).
• After freeing the 16th Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with a Rancid Egg.
• After freeing the 17th to 22nd Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with Geo (140 Geo for the 17th, 150 Geo for the 18th, 160 Geo for the 19th, 165 Geo for the 20th, 170 Geo for the 21st, and 180 Geo for the 22nd Grub found).
• After freeing half (23) of the total Grubs, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with a Hallownest Seal and the Grubfriend Achievement will be unlocked.
• After freeing the 24th to 30th Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with Geo (200 Geo for the 24th, 200 Geo for the 25th, 205 Geo for the 26th, 210 Geo for the 27th, 215 Geo for the 28th, 220 Geo for the 29th, and 220 Geo for the 30th Grub found).
• After freeing the 31st Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with a Pale Ore.
• After freeing the 32nd to 37th Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with Geo (230 Geo for the 32nd, 235 Geo for the 33rd, 240 Geo for the 34th, 245 Geo for the 35th, 250 Geo for the 36th, and 255 Geo for the 37th Grub found).
• After freeing the 38th Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with a King’s Idol.
• After freeing the 39th to 45th Grub, the Grubfather will reward the Knight with Geo (260 Geo for the 39th, 265 Geo for the 40th, 270 Geo for the 41st, 280 Geo for the 42nd, 290 Geo for the 43rd, 295 Geo for the 44th, and 300 Geo for the 45th Grub found).
• After freeing all of the Grubs around Hallownest, the Grubfather will reward the Knight the Grubberfly’s Elegy Charm, which allows the Knight to fire projectiles when attacking using the Nail and when at full health, and the Metamorphosis Achievement is unlocked.

In this guide, you will learn how to find all the Grubs in the Hive!

The Hive Grub 1

There are two Grubs in the Hive area. One can be found in a hidden room in the northwestern part of the Hive that can only be accessed through an opening in the southern part of the middle of Kingdom’s Edge.

The Knight will encounter various enemies in Kingdom’s Edge and in the Hive. Still, the Knight will specifically encounter the following enemies on the way to the first Grub: A Husk Hornhead, a Husk Dandy, a Gluttonous Husk, Vengeflies, Belflies, Booflies, and Hivelings. 

Before the Knight can find the Grub that was mentioned,  it is required that the Knight has the Isma’s Tear ability, allowing the Knight to swim in pools of acid without receiving any damage, and the Desolate Dive Spell or the Descending Dark Spell (the upgrade of the Desolate Dive Spell), allowing the Knight to strike the ground with concentrated Soul and shadow.

Also, the Knight must purchase the Lumafly Lantern from Sly in Dirtmouth to light up very dark rooms. Additionally, it is recommended that the Knight has the Mantis Claw ability, allowing the Knight to cling to walls and jump off of them, the Mothwing Cloak ability, allowing the Knight to perform a horizontal dash forwards, and the Monarch Wings ability, allowing the Knight to perform a double jump in mid-air. With this spell, this item, and these abilities, finding the first Grub in the Hive will be no challenge at all.

In order to find the first Grub in the Hive, this is what the Knight must do:

1. Starting from the Bench in the King’s Station Stagway Station, take the exit to the left; the Knight will be in a room where they will encounter a Husk Hornead, a Husk Dandy, and a Gluttonous Husk, drop to the bottom and take the exit on the right which will have another Stagway sign.
2. Upon entering, the Knight will see a broken Bench in half, a flooded Stagway Station, and two Vengeflies. Kill both Vengeflies and drop down on the water.
3. Next, keep swimming to the right, where the Knight will go through a hidden passageway.
4. Upon entering, you will immediately encounter a dive-bombing Belfly, so dodge or hide below an elevated platform to avoid being damaged.
5. Then, jump up the platform, head to the right, where the Knight will encounter two Belflies, and take the exit at the end of the path.
6. Upon entering, the Knight will be on the central cliff of Kingdom’s Edge! Head to the right, where the Knight will encounter a Boofly above, drop down on the gap on the right and head down the room using the small platforms where the Knight will encounter four more Booflies, just before the pool of acid at the bottom head to the path on the left, then take the exit.
7. After that, head to the left where, just ahead of the entrance to the room, part of the floor will rumble once the Knight steps on it (the Knight will also encounter two Hivelings just ahead of this breakable floor). Cast the Desolate Dark spell or the Descending Dark spell on the rumbling floor to break it and reveal a hidden part of the room. It is worth mentioning that there is a Geo Deposit on the right upon landing.
8. Next, head to the left, drop on the pool of acid, swim to the left through the narrow path with the help of Isma’s Tear ability, jump up the elevated platform on the left, and head to the left where the Knight will encounter two more Hivelings, drop down the gap on the left, head to the right, then take the exit that leads downwards.
9. Then, upon landing, the Knight is in a hidden room in the Hive! Drop down the gap on the left, where the Knight will be in a room and encounter seven Hivelings.
10. Finally, after defeating the Hivelings, jump towards the platform on the left side of the room, and there the Knight will find a Grub inside a glass jar! The Knight can now strike the glass jar to break it and free the Grub!

The Hive Grub 2

The other Grub in the Hive can be found in the top right corner of a room in the eastern part of the Hive.

The Knight will encounter various enemies in the Hive. Still, the Knight will specifically encounter the following enemies on the way to the second Grub: Hivelings, Husk Hives, Hive Soldiers, and Hive Guardians.

Before the Knight can find the Grub that was mentioned, it is required that the Knight has the Crystal Heart ability, which allows the Knight to fly and dash continuously and horizontally until the Knight hits a wall, hits an enemy that was not killed by the hit, or if the player intentionally stops the dash, the Mantis Claw ability, which allows the Knight to cling to walls and jump off of them, the Mothwing Cloak ability, which allows the Knight to perform a horizontal dash forwards, and the Monarch Wings ability, which allows the Knight to perform a secondary jump in mid-air.

Additionally, the Knight must have also learned the Vengeful Spirit spell or the Shade Soul spell (the upgrade to the Vengeful Spirit spell), which allows the Knight to conjure a spirit (or shadow in the case of the Shade Soul spell) that flies forwards and deals damage to enemies. With this spell and these abilities, finding the second Grub in the Hive will be no challenge at all.

In order to find the second Grub in the Hive, this is what the Knight must do (assuming that this is the Knight’s first time in the area):

1. From the Bench inside the Tram in the southwesternmost part of Kingdom’s Edge, exit the Tram, proceed to the right, head inside a narrow path, then jump and dash or perform a secondary jump over the spike pit and land on a platform below on the right.
2. Next, continue to the right, where there is another spike pit, two Hivelings, and a wall on the right. Kill the Hivelings, then with the Soul gained from killing them, cast the Vengeful Spirit spell or the Shade Soul Spell on the wall to break it and reveal a pathway (going up the wall and exiting above leads to Kingdom’s Edge).
3. Then, go through the newly-opened path, head to the right, and take the exit.
4. After that, the Knight is now inside the Hive! Head to the right, where the Knight will encounter two more Hivelings, then a Husk Hive; jump up the slightly elevated platform; in the middle of this platform, jump up twice with the help of the Monarch Wings ability and head up the wall above on the right with the help of the Mantis Claw ability where the Knight will encounter another Hiveling, at the top head to the right, and take the exit.
5. Next, head to the right, where the Knight will encounter another Hiveling; jump down towards the platform below on the wall on the right; jump towards the small platform slightly below on the left, where the Knight will encounter two more Hivelings, jump down towards the ledge below on the wall on the left, jump down towards the small platform slightly below on the right where the Knight will encounter three more Hivelings, drop down the smaller platform below on the right where the Knight will encounter two more Hivelings, and drop down to the bottom of the room. It is worth mentioning that there is a Bench inside the exit on the left to heal and save your progress, but the Knight will also encounter a Hive Soldier inside.
6. Then, head to the right, jump up the slightly elevated platform where the Knight will encounter another Husk Hive, jump up the platform on the right, drop down the gap on the right, head up the tall platform on the right with the help of the Mantis Claw ability where the Knight will encounter a Husk Hive, jump up the platform above on the left, jump and dash or perform a secondary jump towards the small platform on the right, jump and head up the platform above on the right with the help of the Mantis Claw ability where the Knight will encounter a Hiveling and a Hive Soldier, jump up twice with the help of the Monarch Wings ability towards the platform above on the left, jump up the platform above with the help of the Mantis Claw ability or the Monarch Wings ability where the Knight will encounter another Hive Soldier, jump and head up the platform above on the left with the help of the Mantis Claw ability where the Knight will encounter another Hive Soldier, then jump and head towards the platform above on the left where the Knight will encounter three more Hivelings.
7. After that, head to the left, jump up the platform where the Knight will encounter another Hiveling and another Husk Hive, head to the right, jump up the platform, continue heading to the left, then take the exit.
8. Next, head to the right, where the Knight will encounter two Hivelings, pass through a narrow opening, head up the wall on the right with the help of the Mantis Claw ability and where the Knight will encounter a Hive Guardian, jump towards the small platform above on the left, jump up twice with the help of the Monarch Wings ability towards the platform above on the left where the Knight will encounter a Hiveling, jump and dash or perform a secondary jump towards the platform on the left where the Knight will encounter another Hive Guardian and Hive Soldier, and jump towards the platform slightly above on the left where the Knight will encounter a Hiveling.
9. Then, jump up twice using the Monarch Wings ability or climb up the wall using the Mantis Claw ability towards the path above where the Knight will encounter another Hive Soldier, head to the right where the Knight will encounter another Hiveling, jump up towards the small platform, jump and climb up the platform above with the help of the Mantis Claw ability where the Knight will encounter another Hive Guardian and another Hiveling, jump towards the platform above on the left with the help of the Monarch Wings ability or the Mantis Claw ability, jump and head up on the path above also with the help of the Monarch Wings ability or the Mantis Claw ability, head to the right where the Knight will encounter another Hiveling, then take the exit at the end of the path.
10. After that, head to the right, drop down the platforms on the right three times where the Knight will encounter another Hive Soldier and a Hiveling, jump up the slightly elevated platform, drop down the ledge below on the right, jump across the gap towards the platform on the right where the Knight will encounter another Husk Hive and another Hive Soldier, head to the right, jump up the next platform, and head to the wall on the right.
11. Next, head up the wall with the Mantis Claw ability; near the top of the wall, use the Crystal Heart ability to dash and fly to the left; cancel the Crystal Heart ability by pressing the assigned JUMP button when the Knight is near a shaft in the ceiling that leads upwards, perform a secondary jump with the help of the Monarch Wing’s ability to head up the shaft and cling to either side of the wall, head up the shaft with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, at the top head to the right where the path will be blocked by a breakable pillar, strike the pillar multiple times to break it, and continue heading to the right.
12. Finally, drop down the gap at the end of the path, and at the bottom of this area is a Grub inside a glass jar! The Knight can now strike the glass jar to break it and free the Grub!

After finding both of the Grubs in the Hive, the Knight is now one step closer to finding them all and receiving the Grubberfly’s Elegy Charm, and unlocking the Metamorphosis Achievement!