There are plenty of things for you to do in Hollow Knight. As you build the map of Hallownest, the sheer scope of what this world has to offer becomes more and more clear. But for some tasks, this scale is more daunting than awe-inspiring, as may be the case with the Grubs.
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Related: Hollow Knight: Pale Ore Location Guide
The Grubs are scattered all across the map, and managing to find and free all of them can reap greater rewards for their rescuer down the line. However, there are 46 of these little buggers lying around, not to mention some creatures in Hallownest will even mimic them and then attack you, so it’s good to know where exactly to look.
Updated July 13, 2023, by Sean Murray: As we all patiently wait for Silksong, now’s the perfect time to find all those grubs in the original Hollow Knight. That’s why we’ve refreshed this guide with improved formatting to make it easier to find all grub locations in Hollow Knight.
Forgotten Crossroads
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
1
|
- Fall into the Forgotten Crossroads from Dirtmouth, then go right until you reach the end of the path.
- Defeat the miniboss to find the Grub.
|
Defeat the Husk Guard miniboss
|
10 Geo
|
|
2
|
- Just north of the shaft above the Stagway Station, head up to find a small ledge near a breakable wall.
- Break it to reveal two enemies and the trapped Grub.
|
Break through the wall
|
30 Geo
|
|
3
|
- Head northeast from the Stagway Station and follow the hallway.
- Descend till you see an exit to the left, which leads to a room filled with spiked platforms.
- The Grub is at the end of the platforms.
|
Nail-bouncing
|
40 Geo
|
|
4
|
- From where you first meet Cornifer, head down to the bottom.
- Go left and through the room with burrowing worms, then through the next room filled with acid.
- Avoid the obstacles to reach the Grub.
|
None
|
20 Geo
|
|
5
|
- Drop from Dirtmouth and head left till you reach the vertical shaft.
- Drop again, hugging the right side, and take the first exit to the right.
- Go up the platforms to find the Grub.
|
Mothwing Cloak
|
Mask Shard
|
Greenpath
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
6
|
- From where Cornifer is found, head left through the gap in the rock wall, then hop on top of the ledges.
- Go right, jump up to enter a hidden area, then cut the vines holding the stone slab.
- Drop back down to Cornifer, use the stone slab to reach the ledge, then go right to find the Grub.
|
Stone slab
|
50 Geo
|
|
7
|
- From where Cornifer is found, head left through the gap in the rock wall, then hop up the ledges.
- Go left till you reach a stone slab, then cut the vines. Drop on it, hop across the spikes.
- Continue cutting vines as you gradually head downward, hugging the wall to the right till you reach a room full of acid. The Grub is on the right ledge.
|
None
|
60 Geo
|
|
8
|
- To the left of the Massive Moss Charger miniboss is a long corridor.
- Nail jump off the backs of the enemies to make it across.
- There should be a set of elevated platforms in the middle of the room. The Grub is at the top of these.
|
None
|
80 Geo
|
|
9
|
- Form the central bench, head up two screens.
- Go left till you reach Greenpath, then drop down and head right to find a Moss Knight.
- Defeat it to get the Grub.
|
Defeat Moss Knight
|
70 Geo
|
Fungal Wastes
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
10
|
- From the lever unlocking the shortcut to the Queen’s Station, head right to the next room.
- Nail jump on the fungus to ascend, then bounce through the fungus tunnel to the right to find the Grub.
|
Mothwing Cloak
|
Grubsong Charm
|
|
11
|
- From the Queen’s Station Stagway, head right into the Fungal Wastes, then take the first exit down.
- From there go right, then go back around to the left, drop down, and continue left.
- Use the Mantis Claw to climb up and over, and head left until you reach a room with a thorny ceiling.
- Nail jump on the fungus on the left corner of the room to find the Grub.
|
Mantis Claw
|
90 Geo
|
Related: Hollow Knight: How To Complete The Hunter’s Journal
City of Tears
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
12
|
- From Relic Seeker Lem’s shop, head up through the exit.
- Follow the right path to the right till you reach the elevator.
- Take the elevator up one level, defeat the Winged Sentry, then wall-jump to rescue the Grub
|
Mantis Claw
|
100 Geo
|
|
13
|
- After defeating the Soul Master, head left.
- Go down the shaft and take the first left.
- Use the Desolate Dive spell to break through the rumbling ground in front of the Soul Collector.
- Defeat the enemies and head to the left ledge, hit the lever, then climb the left wall back to the Soul Collector.
- Drop down while hugging the left wall until you reach the Grub.
|
Desolate Dive
|
120 Geo
|
|
14
|
- From the entrance to the Watcher’s Spire, go up and take the upper right exit.
- Continue upward and take the other upper right exit, heading left till you reach a room full of Sentries.
- Defeat them to get the Grub.
|
Monarch Wings
|
Rancid Egg
|
|
15
|
- This Grub can be found once the right side of the City of Tears is unlocked.
- From the Stagway bench, head left into the King’s Station and take the exit in the top left corner.
- Drop off to land on a left platform with a doorway, through which you’ll find a Great Husk Sentry.
- Defeat it to get the Grub.
|
Defeat Great Husk Sentry
|
110 Geo
|
|
16
|
- From the King’s Station Stagway, head left to the main station and drop to the bottom right exit.
- Head through and swim in the water through the passage into Kingdom’s Edge.
- Hop up through the ledge, drop into the water again, and you will find the Grub to your immediate left.
|
None
|
120 Geo
|
Crystal Peak
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
17
|
- Use the Mothwing Cloak to dash under the hydraulic mashers.
- Continue, then drop to another set of mashers.
- Jump and dash through each one till you reach a hole in the ground where the Grub is.
|
Mothwing Cloak
|
180 Geo
|
|
18
|
- From the final ledge in the Crystalized Mound, hop to the right.
- Move quickly up the platforms till you reach the Grub at the top.
|
- Mothwing Cloak
- Mantis Claw
- Desolate Dive
|
Hallownest Seal
|
|
19
|
- From the chamber where the Crystal Heart ability is acquired, head left into the conveyer belt area.
- Continue left until you reach the room filled with hydraulic mashers.
- Use the Mothwing Cloak to dash under them until you reach the Grub at the top.
|
- Mothwing Cloak
- Mantis Claw
|
150 Geo
|
|
20
|
- From Cornifer, use the Crystal Heart ability to fly left till you reach a pathway leading down.
- Go down, then follow the right path.
- The ‘Grub’ you will find is actually a Grub Mimic that you will need to defeat.
- Upon doing so, break through the breakable wall to the right and follow the path up to find the real Grub.
|
- Mantis Claw
- Crystal Heart
|
140 Geo
|
|
21
|
- From the first area bench, head left into the crystal cave, jumping up through the top left exit.
- Take the right conveyer belt, using the Mothwing Cloak to dash to the next one past the spikes.
- Continue and time your dashes carefully until you reach the Grub.
|
- Mothwing Cloak
- Mantis Claw
|
170 Geo
|
|
22
|
- Loop back to the start of the room where you obtain the Crystal Heart.
- Hop up the left wall, then use the Crystal Heart ability to fly to the right and rescue the Grub.
|
- Mantis Claw
- Crystal Heart
|
160 Geo
|
|
23
|
- Once the Monarch Wings are obtained, make your way to the top of the Crystal Peak to find a cave.
- Go to the bottom right corner of the room and take the exit.
- Continue to dash over the spikes and enemies until you find the Grub.
|
- Mothwing Cloak
- Mantis Claw
|
165 Geo
|
Resting Grounds
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
24
|
- Head to the bottom of the shaft below the Stagway Station, then go right. You should see a broken coffin.
- Use Desolate Dive to break through it and reach the tunnels, then head right.
- Break the breakable wall, then continue right until you see a gap in the ceiling. Go through it. The Grub is to the right.
|
Desolate Dive
|
200 Geo
|
Royal Waterways
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
25
|
- Upon dropping down from the City of Tears entrance, head left.
- Drop down one level, then take the leftmost exit.
- Head left again, drop down again, then go left till you reach the water.
- Hop out and break the breakable wall. The Grub is on the right ledge.
|
Desolate Dive
|
200 Geo
|
|
26
|
- After obtaining Isma’s Tear, drop into the acid and swim right under the platform until you reach the right edge.
- Wall-jump to find the Grub on the left ledge.
|
|
210 Geo
|
|
27
|
- Ride the Tram in the Ancient Basin to the right. Exit and follow the right path, then ascend into the next area.
- Keep ascending until you reach The Royal Waterways area, then go left to find a ledge overlooking a pool of acid.
- From here you have two options:
- Use the Crystal Heart ability to fly over the acid, air stall, then use the Monarch Wings and Mantis Claw to make your way up and to the left to find the Grub
- Use Isma’s Tear to simply swim in the acid and climb up that way.
|
- Crystal Heart (or Isma’s Tear)
- Mantis Claw
- Monarch Wings
|
205 Geo
|
Howling Cliffs
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
28
|
- Head to the far left of the Howling Cliffs, then drop down to the bottom.
- Follow the right path to enter a series of tunnels.
- Take the topmost tunnel and break through the wall to find the Grub.
|
Mantis Claw
|
215 Geo
|
Related: Hollow Knight: Achievement/Trophy Guide
Kingdom’s Edge
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
29
|
- In the area above Nailmaster Oro, there is an alcove to the right. Defeat the enemies, then hop on the right side of the spike pit.
- Destroy the wall, make your way up the shaft, then land on the left ledge.
- Kill the enemies, then hop across the spikes to find the Grub.
|
Mantis Claw
|
220 Geo
|
|
30
|
- Left from the hut where you meet Nailmaster Oro, you will find a hidden room with a breakable floor at the end of it.
- Use Desolate Dive, then go left to find another breakable floor. Desolate Dive, then go up the ledges.
- Make your way to the left topmost ledge, where you will find another breakable floor.
- Kill/avoid the Great Hopper as you make your way right into the next room, then head up the ledges to find the Grub.
|
Desolate Dive
|
220 Geo
|
Fog Canyon
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
31
|
- From the ledge just outside the Teacher’s Archives next to right exit, use the Crystal Heart ability to fly left to reach the alcove where the Grub is.
|
Crystal Heart
|
Pale Ore
|
Queen’s Gardens
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
32
|
- From the Stagway bench, head right, then drop down.
- Go left past the Geo deposit to find the Grub.
|
None
|
230 Geo
|
|
33
|
- From the Stagway bench, head right, then travel upward until you reach a glass pagoda.
- Smash the glass on the left side, then wall-jump and use Crystal Heart to progress until you find the Grub.
|
- Crystal Heart
- Mantis Claw
- Monarch Wings
|
235 Geo
|
|
34
|
- While traveling through the northwestern portion of the area, you will come across a vertical shaft.
- Jump through the shadow to reach a secret area, then wall-jump upward until you reach the Grub.
|
Mantis Claw
|
240 Geo
|
Deepnest
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
35
|
- From the bench in the Hot Springs, go left.
- Continue, carefully hopping across the platforms until you reach a safe space.
- Double jump onto the left ledge, then break the wall to reveal a passage.
- Head through it, then hop down to find the Grub.
|
- Monarch Wings
- Crystal Heart
|
255 Geo
|
|
36
|
- From the Hot Springs bench, go left, then in the next area, follow the path up and to the right.
- You have to bottleneck in the top of the screen, so continue, then veer left into a small opening.
- Use Crystal Heart to fly to the left wall, then wall-jump to reach the ledge where the Grub is.
|
- Crystal Heart
- Mantis Claw
|
250 Geo
|
|
37
|
- Among the caverns at the northeastern section of Deepnest, there is a large vertical corridor to the far right.
- On the right wall, there is tiny ledge with a breakable wall.
- Go through it, then head down to find a series of Grub Jars. The only real one is at the bottom level.
|
Mantis Claw
|
245 Geo
|
|
38
|
- From the Hot Springs bench, go left.
- Hop onto the platforms toward the left exit.
- Avoid/kill the Stalking Devout, then go up and take the left exit.
- Go to the upper left corner of the area, then double back and go right. Use the platform to hop over the vertical shaft and continue right.
- Kill another Stalking Devout, go to the top right corner, then drop down to find the Grub.
|
- Mothwing Cloak
- Mantis Claw
|
King’s Idol
|
|
39
|
- From the Deepnest Stagway bench, go left into the Distant Village.
- Enter the biggest structure and sit on the bench.
- You will awaken in the Beast’s Den. Just use your Nail to break free and follow the path until you eventually drop down and come face-to-face with the Grub.
|
- Mothwing Cloak
- Mantis Claw
|
260 Geo
|
Ancient Basin
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
40
|
- To the northeast of the Broken Vessel, hop up into the spiked area.
- Use the Mothwing Cloak, the Monarch Wings, the Mantis Claw, and the Crystal Heart ability all in sequence to gradually make your way to the upper right corner where the Grub is.
|
- Mothwing Cloak
- Mantis Claw
- Monarch Wings
- Crystal Heart
|
265 Geo
|
|
41
|
- From the Tram, walk left until you reach a hole in the ground.
- Hop down, then head left till you reach a descending shaft.
- Drop down again, immediately use Desolate Dive, then go into the right-hand tunnel to find the Grub.
|
Desolate Dive
|
270 Geo
|
The Hive
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
42
|
- Ride the Tram in the Ancient Basin to the right. Get off, then go right.
- Ascend into the next area, following the path up, then take the first right.
- You should come across the wooden bracing that separates The Hive from Kingdom’s Edge.
- Use Desolate Dive to break through the floor near it, then head left until you reach an exit into The Hive. This is where the Grub will be.
|
- Desolate Dive
- Isma’s Tear
|
280 Geo
|
|
43
|
- Ride the Tram in the Ancient Basin to the right.
- Get off, then go right until you see a group of Bees floating around a wall. Break through to enter The Hive.
- Toward the end, you will have to hop down a series of ledges as you make your way to the upper right corner.
- About halfway, land on a ledge and use Crystal Heart to fly right. Air stall when you see a shaft leading up, then climb the wall.
- Go right to find the Grub.
|
- Crystal Heart
- Monarch Wings
|
290 Geo
|
Tower of Love
|
#
|
Location
|
Requirement(s)
|
Reward
|
|
44
|
- From the King’s Station Stagway, head to the bottom main area, then go right to pass the secret entrance to Kingdom’s Edge.
- Once there, take the exit to the top right, then head up through the area and back to the left.
- Head left through the platforms until you find a door that requires the Love Key to open.
- Upon entering, drop to the bottom and unlock the lever that leads back to the King’s Station.
- Head back up and follow the left path till you reach The Collector.
- Defeat The Collector to find the Grub and the Grub Map.
|
Love Key
|
295 Geo
|
|
45
|
|
Love Key
|
300 Geo
|
|
46
|
|
Love Key
|
Grubberfly’s Elegy
|
Next: Hollow Knight: Secrets You Might Have Missed In Hallownest
