How to Find the Grubs in Deepnest in Hollow Knight

Learn how to find the grubs in Deepnest in Hollow Knight!

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 now-ruined kingdom by a supernatural disease. As the Knight journeys through Hallownest, he will encounter various characters that will help fully unravel the story in the game. Some of these characters are 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 collect bugs that are both dead and alive all around Hallownest and preserve them in glass jars.

The Knight will know if there is a Grub nearby as its high-pitched crying can be heard in its general direction. Then, 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 Deepnest, 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 to find all the Grubs in Deepnest!

Deepnest Grub 1

A screenshot showing the location of a Deepnest Grub in Hollow Knight

There are five Grubs in the Deepnest area. One can be found inside a hidden area in the southern part of Deepnest.

The Knight will encounter many enemies in Deepnest, but the Knight will specifically encounter the following enemies on the way to the first Grub: Garpedes and a Wandering Husk.

Before the Knight can find the Grub that was mentioned, it is required that the Knight has the Mantis Claw ability, which allows the Knight to cling to walls and jump off of them, and the Mothwing Cloak ability, which allows the Knight to perform a horizontal dash forward, or the Monarch Wings ability, which allows the Knight to perform a secondary jump in mid-air. Additionally, the Knight must also purchase the Lumafly Lantern from Sly in Dirtmouth to light up very dark rooms. With these abilities, finding the first Grub in Deepnest will be no challenge.

To find the first Grub in Deepnest, this is what the Knight must do:

Starting from the Bench inside the Tram in the southeast of Deepnest, exit the Tram, head to the left, and take the exit.
The Knight is now in Deepnest and will be in a room that looks like a maze filled with Garpedes. Head slightly to the left, wait for the Garpede to pass through on the path above, quickly jump to the platform above, head to the right, then jump to the next platform above.
Next, head to the left, wait for the Garpede above to pass through, quickly jump to the platform above, quickly run to the left, and drop down on the next path downwards.
After that, head slightly to the left, wait for the Garpede below to pass through, quickly drop down, run to the right, and drop down on the next path downwards.
Then, head to the left, jump across the spikes with the help of the Monarch Wings or the Mothwing Cloak ability, and take the exit on the left.
Next, continue heading to the left, where the Knight will find a Bench next to a hot spring. Sit on the Bench to heal and save your progress, then stand in the hot spring to regenerate the Knight’s Soul. After that, continue heading to the left and take the exit.
Then, head to the left, jump up the platform where the Knight will encounter a Wandering Husk, jump across the spikes on the floor and onto a small platform, jump across the spikes on the floor and onto the next small platform on the left, jump across the spikes and onto the ledge above on the left with the help of the Monarch Wings ability, strike the wall on the left (which is a breakable wall) several times to break it and reveal a hidden exit, then take the hidden exit.
Finally, head to the left, drop down the gap, and at the bottom, the Knight will find a Grub trapped inside a glass jar! The Knight can now strike the glass jar to break it and free the Grub!

Deepnest Grub 2

Another Grub can be found in the top left corner of a room on the right side near the middle of Deepnest.

The Knight will encounter many enemies in Deepnest. Still, the Knight will specifically encounter the following enemies on the way to the second Grub: Garpedes, Wandering Husks, Husk Hornheads, a Husk Bully, and Deephunters.

Before the Knight can find the Grub that was mentioned, it is required that the Knight has the Mantis Claw ability, which allows the Knight to cling to walls and jump off of them. 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, and the Mothwing Cloak ability, which allows the Knight to perform a horizontal dash forward, or the Monarch Wings ability, which allows the Knight to perform a secondary jump in mid-air. Additionally, the Knight must also purchase the Lumafly Lantern from Sly in Dirtmouth to light up very dark rooms. With these abilities, finding the second Grub in Deepnest will be no challenge.

To find the second Grub in Deepnest, this is what the Knight must do:

Starting from the Bench inside the Tram in the southeast of Deepnest, exit the Tram, head to the left, and take the exit.
The Knight is now in Deepnest and will be in a room that looks like a maze filled with Garpedes. Head slightly to the left, wait for the Garpede to pass through on the path above, quickly jump to the platform above, head to the right, then jump to the next platform above.
Next, head to the left, wait for the Garpede above to pass through, quickly jump to the platform above, quickly run to the left, and drop down on the next path downwards.
After that, head slightly to the left, wait for the Garpede below to pass through, quickly drop down, run to the right, and drop down on the next path downwards.
Then, head to the left, jump across the spikes with the help of the Monarch Wings or the Mothwing Cloak ability, and take the exit on the left.
Next, continue heading to the left, where the Knight will find a Bench next to a hot spring. Sit on the Bench to heal and save your progress, then stand in the hot spring to regenerate the Knight’s Soul. After that, continue heading to the left and take the exit.
Then, head to the left, jump up the platform where the Knight will encounter a Wandering Husk, jump up the small platform above the spikes, jump up the platform above on the right where the Knight will encounter a Husk Hornhead, head to the path on the right, then jump up the next platform at the end of the path where the Knight will encounter a Deephunter.
After that, head to the left, head up the wall on the left with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, where the Knight will encounter another Husk Hornhead and another Deephunter; head to the left, where the Knight will encounter a Husk Bully and another Deephunter above on the ceiling, and at the end of the path heading up the shaft with the help of the Mantis Claw ability.
Next, at the top of the shaft, jump up the small platform above, jump up the platform above on the left, jump up the platform above on the right, head to the right where the Knight will encounter a Wandering Husk, then a Husk Hornhead, then at the end of the path the Knight will encounter a Deephunter.
Then, head up the platform above on the left with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, head up the shaft above also with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, head to the platform on the left, jump the wall above on the right, and head up the platform with the help of the Mantis Claw ability.
After that, head to the right, jump up the platforms above where the Knight will encounter another Deephunter, head to the left, jump towards the platform below on the left, jump, and dash, or perform a secondary jump with the help of the Mothwing Cloak ability or the Monarch Wings ability towards the platform on the left, and head to the left where the Knight will encounter a Deephunter.
Next, from the left edge of the platform, use the Crystal Heart ability to dash and fly to the left until the Knight hits the wall on the left, head up the wall on the left with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, then jump up the platform on the right.
Finally, head to the right and the Knight will find a Grub trapped inside a glass jar! The Knight can now strike the glass jar to break it and free the Grub!

Deepnest Grub 3

Another Grub can be found near the middle of the room on the left side near the middle of Deepnest.

The Knight will encounter many enemies in Deepnest. Still, the Knight will specifically encounter the following enemies on the way to the third Grub: Garpedes, Wandering Husks, Husk Hornheads, a Husk Bully, Deephunters, Little Weavers, and Stalking Devouts.

Before the Knight can find the Grub that was mentioned, it is required that the Knight has 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 forward, and the Monarch Wings ability, which allows the Knight to perform a secondary jump in mid-air. Additionally, the Knight must also purchase the Lumafly Lantern from Sly in Dirtmouth to light up very dark rooms. With these abilities, finding the third Grub in Deepnest will be no challenge.

To find the third Grub in Deepnest, this is what the Knight must do:

Starting from the Bench inside the Tram in the southeast of Deepnest, exit the Tram, head to the left, and take the exit.
The Knight is now in Deepnest and will be in a room that looks like a maze filled with Garpedes. Head slightly to the left, wait for the Garpede to pass through on the path above, quickly jump to the platform above, head to the right, then jump to the next platform above.
Next, head to the left, wait for the Garpede above to pass through, quickly jump to the platform above, quickly run to the left, and drop down on the next path downwards.
After that, head slightly to the left, wait for the Garpede below to pass through, quickly drop down, run to the right, and drop down on the next path downwards.
Then, head to the left, jump across the spikes with the help of the Monarch Wings or the Mothwing Cloak ability, and take the exit on the left.
Next, continue heading to the left, where the Knight will find a Bench next to a hot spring. Sit on the Bench to heal and save your progress, then stand in the hot spring to regenerate the Knight’s Soul. After that, continue heading to the left and take the exit.
Then, head to the left, jump up the platform where the Knight will encounter a Wandering Husk, jump up the small platform above the spikes, jump up the platform above on the right where the Knight will encounter a Husk Hornhead, head to the path on the right, then jump up the next platform at the end of the path where the Knight will encounter a Deephunter.
After that, head to the left, head up the wall on the left with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, where the Knight will encounter another Husk Hornhead and another Deephunter. Head to the left, where the Knight will encounter a Husk Bully and another Deephunter above on the ceiling, at the end of the path heading up the shaft with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, then take the exit on the left at the top.
Upon entering, head to the left, drop down three platforms, then, on the next drop, cling to the right side of the wall and use the Mothwing Cloak at the appropriate height to dash over the spikes and onto safety.
Next, jump and dash again at the appropriate height to evade the spikes and get to the next platform, drop down from the ledge, jump, and dash over the spike pit, where the Knight will encounter another Deephunter.
Then, head to the left, jump across the spike pit where the Knight will encounter a Stalking Devout; at the end of the path, heading up the shaft with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, head to the left and take the exit.
After that, head to the left, head up the next shaft where the Knight will encounter two Deephunters and a Little Weaver, head up the platform on the left where the Knight will encounter another Little Weaver, and continue heading to the left, jump across the gap with the spikes where the Knight will encounter a Deephunter.
Next, at the end of the path, jump and dash or perform a secondary jump with the help of the Mothwing Cloak ability or the Monarch Wings ability towards the small platform on the left, jump towards the small platform below on the left, and jump towards the platform on the left where the Knight will encounter a Deephunter.
Then, head to the left, jump and dash across the spikes with the help of the Mothwing Cloak ability, and head up the shaft above with the help of the Mantis Claw ability; at the top, head to the left, where the Knight will encounter a Deephunter, jump across the gap with the spikes where the Knight will encounter a Little Weaver, jump and dash across another spike pit with the help of the Mothwing Cloak ability towards a small platform, and head up the shaft above with the help of the Mantis Claw ability.
After that, at the top, head to the right, jump towards the small platform on the right, jump and dash or perform a secondary jump with the help of the Mothwing Cloak ability or Mantis Claw ability towards the platform above on the right, head to the right, jump across a gap with spikes where the Knight will encounter another Stalking Devout, and at the end of the path drop down the very narrow shaft.
Finally, at the bottom, head to the left, and the Knight will find a Grub trapped inside a glass jar! The Knight can now strike the glass jar to break it and free the Grub!

Deepnest Grub 4

Another Grub can be found after opening a path in the Beast’s Den, accessed through the Distant Village in the westernmost part of Deepnest.

The Knight will encounter many enemies in Deepnest, but the Knight will specifically encounter the following enemies on the way to the fourth Grub: Deephunters and Stalking Devouts.

Before the Knight can find the Grub that was mentioned, it is required that the Knight has the Mantis Claw ability, which allows the Knight to cling to walls and jump off of them, and must purchase the Lumafly Lantern from Sly in Dirtmouth to light up very dark rooms. With these abilities, finding the fourth Grub in Deepnest will be no challenge.

To find the fourth Grub in Deepnest, this is what the Knight must do:

Starting from the Distant Village Stagway Station, head to the left to exit the room, head to the left, jump towards the small platform below on the left, jump towards the small platform above on the left, jump towards the slightly long platform below on the left, drop down the gap on the left, and enter the Distant Village through the entrance.
Next, head to the right and sit on the Bench, then the screen will turn black, and when it fades back, the Knight will be inside the Beast’s Den.
Then, head to the right, drop down the gap, head to the right, head up the next path upwards with a platform on the left, head to the left where the Knight will encounter a Stalking Devout, and head up the shaft at the end of the path with the help of the Mantis Claw ability.
After that, at the top, head to the right, drop down the gap, and head to the right, where the Knight will encounter two more Deephunters at the end of the path, heading up the narrow shaft with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, at the top head to the left where the Knight will encounter another Deephunter and jump across the gap towards the platform on the left.
Next, head up the shaft on the left above the spikes, where the Knight will encounter another Deephunter; at the top, head to the left, head up the next shaft using the wall on the left with the help of the Mantis Claw ability where the Knight will encounter a Deephunter, at the top head to the right, head up the next shaft, at the top head to the right, head up the next shaft where the Knight will encounter another Deephunter.
Then, at the top, head to the left, where part of the floor will break, head down the newly revealed narrow shaft, and, finally, at the bottom, the Knight will find a Grub trapped inside a glass jar on the right! The Knight can now strike the glass jar to break it and free the Grub!

Deepnest Grub 5

Another Grub can be found inside a hidden room in the northeasternmost part of Deepnest.

The Knight will encounter various enemies in Deepnest, but the Knight will specifically encounter the following enemies on the way to the fifth Grub: Garpedes, Dirtcarvers, and Grub Mimics.

Before the Knight can find the Grub that was mentioned, it is required that the Knight has the Mantis Claw ability, which allows the Knight to cling to walls and jump off of them, and the Mothwing Cloak ability, which allows the Knight to perform a horizontal dash forward, or the Monarch Wings ability, which allows the Knight to perform a secondary jump in mid-air. Additionally, the Knight must also purchase the Lumafly Lantern from Sly in Dirtmouth to light up very dark rooms. With these abilities, finding the fifth Grub in Deepnest will be no challenge.

To find the fifth Grub in Deepnest, this is what the Knight must do:

Starting from the Bench on the northern part of Deepnest near the Failed Tramway, head to the left, drop down the metal platform, drop down the platforms on the left, head to the right, drop down the gap on the right, head to the right, drop down the shaft, then take the exit on the right.
Next, head to the right, jump across the gap, jump up the platform above on the right, wait for the Garpede above to pass, head up the path towards the platform above where the Garpede passes, head to the left, head up the platform above on the right, head to the right, wait for the Garpede above to pass, head up the path towards the platform above where the Garpede passes, head up the wall on the right with the help of the Mantis Claw ability, jump up the platform above on the left, wait for the Garpede above to pass, jump up the opening, head slightly to the right, jump up another opening, jump up the platform above on the left where the Knight will encounter a Dirtcarver, head to the left, and take the exit above.
Then, head to the right, jump across the spike pit towards a small platform, jump across another spike pit where the Knight will encounter a Dirtcarver, jump up the small platform, head up the shaft with the help of the Mantis Claw ability where the Knight will encounter another Dirtcarver, jump up the platform above on the left, and head to the left where the Knight will encounter two more Dirtcarvers.
After that, head to the end of the path on the left and jump up the platform above on the right, where the Knight will encounter two Dirtcarvers. Head to the right, jump the platform on the left, where the Knight will encounter another Dirtcarver, jump up the platform above, jump up the small platform above on the right, and jump up another platform above on the right, where the Knight will encounter another Dirtcarver.
Next, jump and dash or perform a secondary jump with the help of the Mothwing Cloak ability or the Monarch Wings ability towards the platform across the gap on the right, where the Knight will encounter two Dirtcarvers, drop down the shaft on the right, and take the exit on the right.
Then, head to the right, where the Knight will encounter a Dirtcarver, jump across the gap, where the Knight will encounter another Dirtcarver, and head up at the end of the path towards the platform above on the left, where the Knight will encounter two more Dirtcarvers, then jump up the very small ledge on the wall on the right.
After that, strike the wall on the right several times to break it and reveal a hidden exit. Take the newly revealed exit.
Next, head to the right, drop down the gap, and the Knight will find what looks like a Grub trapped inside a glass jar. Strike the glass jar to break it, and the Grub will reveal itself as a Grub Mimic.
Then, continue heading to the right, and the Knight will find three of what looks like Grubs trapped inside glass jars. Strike the glass jars of the grubs on the left and the right, and they will reveal themselves also to be Grub Mimics.
Finally, the middle Grub trapped inside the glass jar is the real Grub! Strike the glass jar to break it and free the Grub!

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