Species list

The following list contains all of the many different species that exist in the world of Hollow Knight. This page only includes species from the base-game, and will also include sub-variants and groups of characters (like The Grimm Troupe).

Husks
Husks make up most of the kingdom of Hallownest. They are remnants of former citizens that used to roam the kingdom, reanimated and brought back to life by the Infection. Husks can be found all throughout the kingdom, making up most of the population of Hallownest. Some husks, however, are bound to a single region of the kingdom. Some examples include:
 * Wealthy, upper-class husks live in the City of Tears.
 * Husk Sentries protect City of Tears and their citizens.
 * Miner Husks live in Crystal Peaks and mine peacefully among the local crystal critters.

Moth Tribe
The Moth Trive of Hallownest was a tribe of wise, uninfected moths that had been created light of the Radiance. The Radiance was depicted as a god and the Higher Being had been worshipped by the Moth Tribe. However, as the moths began to worship the Pale King over the Radiance, she had slowly begun to be forgotten. To prevent this, she invaded the dreams of bugs as a burning light. This had led to the start of the Infection, which she had used to control the minds of groups such as the Husks and the Traitors.

Mushroom Clan
The Mushroom Clan can be found in Fungal Wastes. They are sentient little non-insects that hide as part of the background and will attack when someone is in their territory. They’ve developed a special language similar to that of what is spoken by Mister Mushroom. They too have been infected and will attack enemies to protect their young ones. The Shrumelings are not capable of fighting or defending itself, and will instead run from threats under the protection of the Shrumal Warriors and the primal form, the Shrumal Ogres.

Mantis Tribe
The Mantis are an elite group of skilled warriors that resided in the Mantis Village. They were led by four Mantis Lords that sat at the bottom of the village, guarding the main gate and preventing the beasts of Deepnest from moving past them. The Mantis, unlike most of the other species of the kingdom, were immune to the Infection. However, a small group of the tribe had given themselves in to the Radiance to become more powerful, leading them to become another group of infected bugs. These mantis were lead by one of the Mantis Lords, who had later been casted out of the village along with the rest of the infected traitors.

The remaining members of the tribe include the Mantis Youth, flying younglings that attach onto walls and ceilings and attack nearby intruders. After training they become the Mantis Warriors, skilled fighters that use their long-ranged claws to kill their foes. The Mantis Lords themselves are skilled with the lance and use it to battle enemies who try to enter or leave Deepnest. Anyone who can defeat them in battle will gained the respect and neutrality from the rest of the tribe.

Spider Tribe
Various creatures live in Deepnest, from Dirtcarvers to Garpedes to Nosk. However, a specific group of these beasts can be found in the Distant Village, under the control of Herrah The Beast. The Spider Tribe consists of six-eyed bugs such as Weavers, Stalking Devouts, and other deadly critters. They had often gotten into battles with the Mushroom Clan and Mantis Tribe, and still kept themselves alive. However, they were not able to withstand the Infection. The Infection swept through Deepnest and the Distant Village, infecting most members of the tribe and causing the Weavers to leave the kingdom.

Soul Sanctum's Scholars
Former advanced scholars of Soul Sanctum, the scholars were often found experimenting with SOUL. They had taken this soul from the citizens of the City of Tears, and had attempted to use them as an energy source and gain special powers off of them. Soul Master was the leader of these advanced bugs, and had often went against the Pale King's ideas in an attempt to become immortal. The scholar's thirst for immortality had driven them mad and eventually gave in to the Infection.

Their successful experiments led to the development of powers such as enhanced health, infection orb projectiles, teleportation, and Soul Master's Desolate Dive. Some scholars, however, misused SOUL and had led to failed experiments, becoming Follies and Mistakes.

Aspids
The Aspid are a group of insects found mainly within the Forgotten Crossroads. The Aspids are acid-filled insects that use their damaging liquids as a way to hunt and defend. They live peacefully among the creatures of the crossroads, as well as in City Of Tears, Ancient Basin and Kingdom's Edge, where some are captured by the Collector and Fools to fight in the Colosseum. Male Aspids are known as the Aspid Hunters. They will hunt in packs using their acids to attack. The Aspid Mothers are the female breeders that carry eggs that hatch into Aspid Hatchlings, which grow into adult Aspids. They are the descendants of the Primal Aspids, a group of Aspid ancestors thought to be extinct.

At some point there was also an large Aspid Mother referred to as the Aspid Queen in the crossroads, but she was overtaken and killed by the Infection prior to the Knight's journey.