Bugs People are Afraid Of (But Shouldn’t Be)
Bugs are one of the most prevalent fears in the world. That’s the official report from the Chapman University Study on American Fears. Only public speaking and heights are more feared than insects.
Our relationship with bugs is an odd one. Insect ecologist Jeffery Lockwood examined human and insect interaction in his book The Infested Mind: Why Humans Fear, Loathe and Love Insects. Turns out, there are many reasons why people can’t stand insects. Some of them are deep-seated psychological fears while others come about because bugs just look icky. Then there are the horror stories we’ve all heard – bugs crawling in ears, mouths and under the skin. The fear can be a cultural norm or come about from a personal experience.
Some people love certain insects, like butterflies and ladybugs, while others hate every last one of them. Being scared of black widows and wasps is understandable since they do pose a threat to your health. However, most creepy crawlies are actually harmless.
Harmless Bugs That Scare People the Most
Any bug can be a nuisance, especially if they are invading your home. But most insects, like the ones below, actually don’t cause much harm.
Spiders
Spiders are easily the most feared bug on the planet. Many people fear spiders because of their bite, but very few spider species are actually dangerous. Of the 40,000 or so different spiders that exist, only the black widow, brown widow, red-legged widow spider, brown recluse and wolf spider present a threat to people living in the U.S.
Cockroaches
Second only to spiders, the mere sight of a scurrying American cockroach is enough to send some people into a frenzy. They may be gross and their prickly legs aren’t nice to the touch, but they can’t hurt people.
Beetles
This is one insect that is revered in some cultures like ancient Egypt, but today, many people can’t stand them. For some it’s the hard shell that crunches underfoot, while others get freaked out over their size. At the end of the day these suckers can bite, but they won’t really harm you.
Praying Mantis
These alien-looking insects have a face only a mother could love. They are feared in the animal world because they are skilled predators, but pose no real threat to people. Just don’t tick them off or they may lash out (a.k.a. jump in your face).
Walking Sticks
Sure, these guys can sneak up on you, which could startle anyone. However, walking sticks don’t tend to mess with people on purpose.
Cicadas
This is one bug that terrifies anyone who fears swarms. On their own, cicadas aren’t that imposing. But when they get together it can freak people out.
Centipedes
Crawly – that’s all that needs to be said to describe why people fear the centipede. All those legs get people’s skin crawling even though their bite doesn’t do much harm.
Are the bugs around your home scaring the living daylights out of you? Never fear – Vulcan Termite & Pest Control, Inc. is here to help! Our highly trained pest control technicians haven’t met a bug they couldn’t handle. In fact, insects are afraid of us. Call today to schedule a custom pest control treatment and sleep easier at night knowing the creepy crawlies are taken care of for good.
Original source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/garden-pest-control/bugs-people-afraid-shouldnt/