Is it normal to be overly scared of bugs?

so where i live every spring these big ass mosquitoes come around and i mean there HUGE there like the size of a tennis ball and im NOT over exaggerating when i see them i just start crying really hard like someone hurt me and i cant stop is this normal or should i see a psychotrist (however u spell it)

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69% Normal
Based on 59 votes (41 yes)
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Comments ( 21 )
  • I_got_a_cupcake

    I cannot control myself around any bug that stings. Hornets are the worst for me. If it's a bee, I just think "Ok, it's not overly horrifying...unless it starts flying around!" If it's a hornet...I'M OUT OF THERE!!! I wish I could be afraid of something stupid like a bird. Sometime my fear controls my life and my family thinks I can just get over it. My mom recently told me that I was attacked by a hornets nest when I was really young, and somehow I must have blocked that memory out of my mind, but still manage to keep my fear of stinging bugs.

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    • suckonthis9

      1) There are no "bugs" that sting.
      Of the Insects in the Order: Hemiptera (true bugs), that do feed on blood, only some of the assassin bugs (Family:Reduviidae) and bedbugs (Family: Cimicidae), are of concern for their feeding behaviours and possible transmission of disease to humans. Some of the assassin bugs, prey on bedbugs, so these are beneficial to us. Others are called kissing bugs, and can spread disease. You need to learn which is which, and how they feed.
      Neither the assassin bugs, nor the bedbugs 'sting'. Both families use a rostrum to feed.

      http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biting_or_stinging_arthropods#section_1

      [Note: Wikipedia should correct themselves. Only a relatively few species of Arthropods bite or sting humans.]

      Reduviidae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

      http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassin_bug#section_2

      Bed bug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

      http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedbugs

      2) Bees, wasps and hornets all belong to the Order: Hymenoptera. Again, only some of the Insects in this Order, will sting humans, and many will do so only if provoked. Some of these, such as the honey bees
      (Genus: Apis), are absolutely essential for our survival, and are of concern recently because of Colony Collapse Disorder.

      3) Birds (Clade: Avialae) are not 'stupid'. Only the humans who choose to remain ignorant of these creatures, are stupid.

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      • I_got_a_cupcake

        I'm just very upset that the fear of bees and hornets are sometimes controlling my life greatly, and I can never get over that fear, only seldomly control it. It is very bad. I refuse to go out in summer because of hornets. They surround my backyard and my neighbours have a giant tree that hornets love, and the tree grows a bit into my backyard as well. Sorry if I sounded rude, it's very late and I'm cranky, but I'm so upset of how much of my life this fear has taken over.

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        • suckonthis9

          This is why it is important to know which species is which.

          It is best, to first separate bees (Superfamily: Apoidea), in particular, the Subfamily: Apinae (as these are usually most common), from the wasps and hornets (Family: Vespidae).

          Bees are usually more docile (less likely to sting) than wasps and hornets. The bumblebees and honeybees are probably the most likely to be encountered.

          Bumblebees (Genus: Bombus) are not normally aggressive, but will sting in defence of their nest, or if harmed. My experience is that you would practically need to step on them or close your hand on them before they will sting you.

          Honey bees (Genus: Apis) will rarely sting, except when stepped on or roughly handled. Honey bees will actively seek out and sting when they perceive the hive to be threatened. So if you avoid their hive, it is unlikely that they will sting you.

          What you have in the tree, in the backyard, are probably paper wasps (Subfamily: Polistinae), if there is a paper nest hanging, or yellow jackets (Genus: Vespula or Dolichovespula). True hornets (Genus: Vespa) are usually not encountered often, but should be avoided if they are.

          Some of these wasps, yellow jackets and hornets, are introduced exotic and invasive species, depending on where you live. If you can find someone who is not afraid of them, and can positively identify which species of vespid they are, then you can devise a strategy to control them, if they become a nuisance.

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      • I_got_a_cupcake

        I'm not referring to the bird itself as stupid, only the fear. And I do not appreciate being called ignorant. Would you say this to my face? If not, please do not call me that on the internet.

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        • suckonthis9

          I did not intend to call you 'ignorant' in a derogatory sense.
          It simply means that you lack knowledge in this field.
          If you make an effort to learn about these animals, then, I'm sure that this will help to allay your fears of many of them.
          In addition to this, you could then help others, to control these, IF they are in fact, an exotic and invasive species.

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          • I_got_a_cupcake

            And I'm sorry I made that other comment. I actually regreted it as soon as I posted it :/

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            • suckonthis9

              Quite all right.

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  • DADNSCAL

    It's called entomophobia and can be cured with desensitization.

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  • Terence_the_viking

    I hate wasps i really hate them when i see a wasp i run as fast as i can.

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  • JohnSpartan117

    This is not a normal fear, but a Phobia

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  • Yesandno

    What kind of tennis balls??

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    • iloveblue

      XD its not theire WHOLE body its just their legs the legs come out really far and they only come around when its moist

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  • suckonthis9

    1) Mosquitos (Family: Culicidae) are not 'bugs', they are 'dipterans'.

    2) You are exaggerating. The largest specie of mosquito (Toxorhynchites speciosus) is about 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) in length, adult size. These do not feed on animals, and are harmless.

    3) Mosquitos, particularly the Anopheles mosquitos, are probably the most dangerous animal to humans. Your fear is not unfounded. Know your enemy.

    <a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito#section_8" rel="nofollow">http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito#section_8</a>

    The Largest Mosquito In The World (Toxorhynchites speciosus) Is Harmless

    <a href="http://thenerdygardener.hubpages.com/hub/The-Largest-Mosquito-In-The-World-Toxorhynchites-speciosus-Is-Harmless" rel="nofollow">http://thenerdygardener.hubpages.com/hub/The-La...</a>

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    • DADNSCAL

      No amount of rational information will resolve an irrational phobia.

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      • suckonthis9

        I am not an expert in phobic anxiety disorders, but those who do study these phenomena, generally agree that the causes of these are probably due to a combination of cultural and genetic factors, as well as life experiences.
        I think that if the individual who has developed the culiciphobia, learns that, of the more than 3,500 species of mosquitos, many are completely harmless, others are simply a nuisance, and only a few are actually dangerous, then it might help to ease their anxiety of them.
        The trick here, would be to learn which species of mosquitos are prevalent in their area, their life cycle and their attributes. Then they might be able to rationalize that, 'that mosquito is probably harmless or is just a nuisance'.
        But will this strategy turn the phobia into a fixation?

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        • DADNSCAL

          All that attention is likely to reinforce it, but it definitely won't cure the phobia, which is emotional, not intellectual. Desensitization is gradual exposure to the phobic stimuli without negative consequences until the client's fear is extinguished.

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    • iloveblue

      this still doesnt help my fear of bugs

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      • suckonthis9

        This might be because you don't understand the Phylum: Arthropoda, and in particular the Class: Insecta.
        Most of these creatures, are innocuous. Only a very few of them are dangerous and many are beneficial to us (they are our friends).
        I do not believe that you have a fear of 'bugs' at all. I think that you hardly notice 'bugs', and that you are not afraid of these animals at all.
        The 'bugs' are in the Order: Hemiptera, a different kind of animal from the Diptera creatures that you are afraid of.
        Please try to learn about these animals, starting with the ones that you are not afraid of.

        Order Hemiptera - True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies - BugGuide.Net

        http://bugguide.net/node/view/63

        Hemiptera (true bugs)

        http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/hemipt/index.htm

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  • dirtybirdy

    I don't mind bugs, particularly beetles.

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  • Shackleford96

    I thought the mosquitos where i used to live were big...

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