If you’ve spent any time wandering the decaying, melancholic halls of Hallownest, you know that Hornet is basically the cool, sharp-edged big sister of the protagonist. She’s everywhere. She’s fast. She’s lethal. But a question that keeps popping up in the Hollow Knight speedrunning and lore community is surprisingly specific: who tells hornet where the fleas are? Wait. Let’s back up for a second.
If you’re looking for a literal biological answer about insects and parasites, you’re in the wrong place. In the world of Team Cherry’s masterpiece, there aren't "fleas" in the traditional sense. You’re likely thinking of the Grubs. Or maybe you're thinking of the way information flows through the stagways and the whispers of the kingdom. There’s a specific nuance here. Hornet doesn’t just stumble around. She’s the Protector of Hallownest. She knows things. But how? Who is her "informant"?
Actually, the idea of "fleas" usually refers to a specific mistranslation or a community meme regarding the tiny, trapped creatures the Knight rescues. If we're talking about how Hornet tracks the Knight—and by extension, the "fleas" or Grubs the Knight carries—the answer is much more grounded in the game's deep, tragic history than a simple GPS.
The Web of Information in Hallownest
Hornet is the daughter of Herrah the Beast and the Pale King. That’s not just a cool backstory; it’s her literal source of intel. Her mother was the queen of Deepnest. Deepnest is, for lack of a better term, the surveillance hub of the entire kingdom. The weavers, those spider-like beings who lived there, were masters of silk and thread.
When people ask who tells hornet where the fleas are, they’re often looking for a specific NPC. There isn't a little bug sitting in a corner whispering coordinates into her ear. Instead, Hornet uses the Thread.
Think about the way spiders operate. They don't need to see you to know you're there. They feel the vibration on the web. Hallownest is draped in the remnants of Weaver silk. Even though most of the Weavers left for their ancestral home, their "song" and their silk remain. Hornet uses this silk not just as a weapon, but as a sensory network. She feels the Knight’s movements. She knows when a seal is broken. She knows when the "fleas"—the small, insignificant players in the world—are moving.
Why Does Hornet Track the Grubs (Fleas)?
Honestly, she mostly doesn't. Not directly.
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There is a common misconception that Hornet is hunting the same things you are. She isn't. Her goal is to test the Knight to see if they have the "will" to replace the Hollow Knight or end the infection. However, many players notice that Hornet tends to appear in areas where the Knight is performing significant tasks, like freeing Grubs or collecting charms.
The "who" in this scenario is effectively the environment itself.
The King's Pass, the Greenpath, the Fungal Wastes—these aren't just levels. They are interconnected ecosystems. Hornet uses the "Stagways" (though she doesn't ride the Stags) and the hidden paths of the Weavers. If you're looking for a name, look at Midwife. Or look at the Mask Maker. These are the few remaining sane-ish beings who still hold the lore of the land. They don't "tell" her in a dialogue box, but they are part of the same social strata of "old Hallownest" that she inhabits.
The Confusion Between Fleas and Grubs
Let's get technical. In the gaming community, especially in non-English speaking regions, the "Grubs" are sometimes colloquially referred to as fleas or larvae. If you’re searching for "who tells hornet where the fleas are," you might be referencing a specific piece of fan fiction or a modded version of the game.
In the base game, the Grubfather is the one who cares about the Grubs. Hornet's interest in the Knight's progress is purely about the fate of the kingdom.
But there’s a nuance here that experts like Mossbag (the literal god of Hollow Knight lore) have touched on. Information in Hallownest is semi-telepathic. The "Infection" is a hive mind controlled by the Radiance. Hornet is specifically not part of that hive mind. She is "void-adjacent" but possesses a soul. She tracks the "fleas" (the small inhabitants) by watching the spread of the infection. Where the infection is being fought back, that's where the Knight—and Hornet—will be.
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The Role of the Little Weaver
If we want to get really granular about "who" helps her, we have to talk about the Weaversong charm.
While the Knight uses it to summon tiny Weaverlings, these creatures are the kin of Hornet. In the lore, these spiders are the ones who "tell" the stories. They weave history into silk. If anyone is "telling" Hornet anything, it’s the lingering spirits and the silk-work of her mother’s people.
It’s a bit like a ghost signal.
You’ve probably noticed that Hornet is always a step ahead. You reach the City of Tears, and she’s already there, looking out over the rain. You hit the Abyss, and she’s waiting at the top. She isn't following you. She's anticipating the "vibrations" of fate. The "fleas" (the Grubs or the Knight) are just the actors on the stage she already owns.
Does the Collector Play a Part?
Some theorists point to The Collector.
The Collector is the one who actually put the Grubs in jars. He has a map. If you find the Collector's Map in the Love Tower, you can see exactly where every "flea" is located. Did Hornet see this map?
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Kinda unlikely. Hornet and the Collector represent two totally different sides of Hallownest's ruin. Hornet is the stoic protector; the Collector is a void-entity obsessed with "preservation" through imprisonment. But from a meta-gameplay perspective, the information is all there. The map exists. The locations are fixed.
The Silkson Connection
With Hollow Knight: Silksong (eventually) coming out, the "who tells hornet" question becomes even more interesting. In Pharloom, the new kingdom, Hornet is the one being hunted.
In Silksong, she is the protagonist. She has her own "fleas" to worry about—the small bugs that help her or the enemies that track her. The mechanics of information change. She uses her own tools, her own crests, and her own connection to silk to navigate.
If you're asking about the "flea" quest specifically in Silksong (as teased in early demos), she's often guided by the Shakra, a cartographer-like character who helps track locations. This might be the literal answer you're looking for. In the original game, Cornifer handles the maps, but in the sequel, the flow of information is much more tied to Hornet's own caste of warriors.
Actionable Insights for Lore Hunters
If you're trying to piece together the information flow in Hallownest or just want to understand how Hornet stays so well-informed, here is how you should approach the game:
- Watch the background. The Weaver symbols appear long before you ever meet a Weaver. These are markers that Hornet likely uses to navigate.
- Listen to the dialogue of the White Lady. She's one of the few who actually speaks about Hornet’s "birthright" and her duty. She hints that Hornet’s knowledge is instinctive—born of the union between a God (the King) and a Beast (Herrah).
- Pay attention to the "patter" of her feet. In the Greenpath fight, she isn't just attacking; she's speaking. "Come no closer, ghost." She already knows what you are. She doesn't need to be told where you or your "fleas" are because she recognizes the scent of the Void.
Basically, nobody "tells" Hornet. She is the one who listens to the kingdom when everyone else is just screaming in the dark. If you want to find the Grubs—or the "fleas"—you don't need an informant. You just need to follow the silk threads she leaves behind.
Check the Weaver's Den in Deepnest again. Look at the hidden rooms. The story isn't told in cutscenes; it’s told in the architecture. Hornet is the daughter of the spiders, and spiders always know exactly what is caught in their web.
Next Steps for Players:
To truly understand the "informants" of Hallownest, your next move should be acquiring the World Sense ability (found in the Temple of the Black Egg) and completing the Collector's Map. This won't give you a dialogue line from Hornet, but it will show you the exact data she—and the kingdom—already possesses regarding every trapped creature in the land. After that, head to the Weaver's Den with the King's Brand to see how the silk-folk actually communicated with their princess.