Why Are People Afraid of Insects? You Will Be Surprised To See Why

Do you have a fear of insects? You're not alone. Entomophobia (fear of insects) and arachnophobia (fear of spiders) are common phobias among humans, but even more common is a general caution against insects. Even though we share the planet with about 10 quintillion insects, many people have an almost instinctive concern about insects.

Some scientists have investigated why most of us feel fear or disgust at the sight of these tiny creatures. While insects are usually easy to crush, they sometimes threaten personal harm or home invasion. And some pests can really pack a punch, like the fleas that caused the 'Black Death' in the 14th century or the malaria-carrying mosquitoes that have terrorized millions of people throughout history. But seeing a cockroach jumping out from under the sofa may not trigger thoughts of the plague, of course.

MIXING FEAR AND DISCOURSE
Most insects are harmless to humans and yet many people rebound as soon as they see one, whether at home or outdoors. But is this sudden reaction to a fly landing on our arms due to fear or disgust? It could be both.

AVOID OF INSECTS
According to some studies, we are not just afraid of insects as we are afraid of other dangerous animals such as lions or bears. We have no reservations about turning them into cute animated characters in the wild. For many people, insects are not only threatening but also disgusting. Psychologists have found that human fear often clings to the disgust response, as a protective trait. Moldy bread or rotting food disgusts people, preventing them from eating spoiled food or contracting a disease. An insect infestation may indicate that something is just as dangerous, but even in isolation, many people can be disgusted by the eyes, legs, movement, antennae of any insect.

WHY ARE WE FEAR OF INSECTS?
At the same time, an evolutionary phobia may have developed due to the bite and venom of most insects. Another reason is the fear of the unknown. These tiny creatures, which move too fast, can quickly get into our clothes and lose themselves. If we do not know exactly where the insect is, if we do not know what to do, if we do not know how painful it will feel when it bites, and if we do not know how poisonous it is, we may develop a phobia against it due to the unknown.