Helldivers 2 Shrieker Nest Guide: Destroy Them Without Getting Swarmed

Shrieker Nests are one of the nastier optional objectives on Terminid planets. Get too close without a plan and you'll spend the next two minutes dodging a sky full of flying bugs while your teammates wonder what went wrong. The good news: these structures have 2,500 HP and Light armor, which means almost any anti-tank weapon in your loadout can handle them cleanly from a safe distance, before a single Shrieker ever spawns.

What is a Shrieker Nest?

A Shrieker Nest is an optional objective exclusive to Terminid missions, available from Challenging difficulty all the way up to Super Helldive. Each nest consists of two or three mushroom-shaped structures that function as spawn points for Shriekers, the fast-moving flying Terminids that flock toward any Helldiver who gets too close.

Completing the objective requires destroying all structures in the group. The reward is 200 Requisition Slips and 50 Experience per nest cleared. Patrol spawn rates in Helldivers 2 are tied to how many nests and primary objectives you complete, not the mission timer, so clearing these early can actually reduce pressure later in the run.

How do you destroy a Shrieker Nest safely?

The entire strategy comes down to one rule: engage from beyond 130 meters. Ping the nest, check the distance readout, and open fire before the spawn trigger activates. Every Eagle and Orbital stratagem capable of destroying Bug Nests can also take out Shrieker Nest structures, according to the Helldivers wiki, so your existing anti-structure loadout transfers directly.

Avoid using the NUX-223 Hellbomb for this objective. Arming it requires you to stand next to the structure, which puts you well inside the 130-meter spawn range. You'll be fighting Shriekers while trying to arm a bomb, which is a bad trade.

For a full breakdown of how Bug Holes and nest structures work mechanically, the Bug Hole wiki entry covers the underlying spawn and closure logic in detail.

Best weapons to destroy Shrieker Nests

After testing all the viable options against these structures, here is how the weapons stack up by shots required:

The E/MG-101 HMG Emplacement and E/AT-12 Anti-Tank Emplacement both carry enough ammo to destroy 3 towers with shots to spare, making either a strong pick if you have an emplacement stratagem slot free.

Autocannon clears nests in FLAK mode

Stratagem options for Shrieker Nests

All Eagle and Orbital stratagems that can destroy standard Bug Nests work on Shrieker Nest structures too. The Eagle Strafing Run stands out specifically because a clean, lined-up strafe destroys the structure outright. The direction the Eagle flies is always perpendicular to the direction you're facing when you throw the beacon, so positioning matters.

For the GR-8 Recoilless Rifle, there's a small time-save worth knowing: fire the moment the rocket icon turns white rather than waiting for the full lock animation to complete. It does not affect damage, just shaves a second or two off each shot.

The Bug Nest wiki page notes that on Impossible difficulty and above, some Heavy and Mega Nests include oversized Bug Holes that exclusively spawn Bile Titans, which require different closure methods. Shrieker Nests do not follow this pattern, but it is worth reading if you are running high-difficulty Terminid missions.

Eagle strafe angle determines hit

What happens if Shriekers do spawn?

If you trigger the nest before destroying it, staying prone or sprinting continuously makes it significantly harder for Shriekers to land clean hits. They struggle to track fast-moving or low-profile targets. Do not stand still.

For active Shrieker suppression, hitscan laser weapons are the practical choice. The LAS-16 Sickle and LAS-5 Scythe both track moving targets reliably without requiring projectile lead. Aim at the shoulder joints where the wings connect to the body, or go for headshots if the angle is clean.

One unconventional option: landing a Hellpod directly on a nest structure deals damage. Three Hellpod impacts will destroy one tower, though coordinating this with your squad takes more effort than simply shooting it from range.

Quick tips for Shrieker Nest missions

• Use the minimap to spot nest clusters before approaching. Their shape is distinct from standard Bug Holes.
• If your squad lacks anti-tank, 4 G-12 High Explosive grenades per structure is a reliable fallback.
• TED-63 Dynamite works too at 3 charges per structure, useful if grenades are already committed elsewhere.
• Shriekers despawn once all nest structures in the group are destroyed. Killing individual Shriekers without destroying the nest accomplishes nothing long-term.
• Enemy patrols increase as you clear objectives, so prioritize Shrieker Nests early in the mission when patrol density is lower.
• The CB-9 Exploding Crossbow can close standard Bug Holes instantly, which is useful for clearing the surrounding area before engaging the nest.

For more Helldivers 2 tactics and objective guides, browse the latest guides at GAMES.GG to keep your loadout sharp across every mission type.