A Question For The Ladies

[erugs]

When she was a toddler, my daughter was afraid of pine cones. She outgrew it. Bugs might have been a different story, 'cause they move and some bite. I remember being a youngster and sometimes okay with bugs but othertimes really freaking out by them. Yesterday I went to a bee keeping talk at UNH Manchester to help me with an old semi-fear of bees. FEAR = False Expectations Appear Real

 

[The Hikers]

I was going to add another humorous reply, but we will save that.
The key with all animals and insects is to remain calm, otherwise they generally get the message BITE.
I send them another message: "leave me alone and I will do the same for you"
My daughter, who sees herself as quite the tomboy, nonetheless made VERY good speed trying to escape deerflies when we hiked with her.This told them "Go get 'er"

 

[adkpooh]

Overcoming fear....

Ummmmm perhaps "Charlottes' Web" in a few years?? I can't think of any Disney/Pixar movies that make spiders look cute and cuddly...LOL.

While I know it is not insects - I used to have an irrational fear of bats thanks to urban myths passed down from generation to generation in my family. Literally, just cowering and covering my head!!! To echo what others have said here.... education is key!! The more a child learns about an insect and how it fits into that "circle of life"- the more value it will have in their eyes. I would look around for hands-on insect programs at local zoos, science museums and nature centers. After a long day of being eaten alive by bugs on the trail, I now enjoy watching the bats come out in the evening while I sit near the shore of an adirondack pond or in a lean-to. I see them now as fascinating!

 

[RoySwkr]

So...why is this a "question for the Ladies"???

The person I saw who was most freaked by bugs was a boy of maybe 10 who was a "Fresh Air" kid from the city, who spent his country vacation watching videos in the house and was nervous if somehow a mosquito or spider got in.

I think I would be more afraid living in a housing project with no bugs - wonder how many pesticides they used?

 

[Trainwreck]

.
"leave me alone and I will do the same for you"

I'd be OK with that for an animal, but I haven't met a mosquito or green/black fly that I could rationalize with.

 

[TrishandAlex]

Yes, I should amend that we're not all that gentle with mosquitos, black flies and ticks.

 

[brianW]

I teach in a school that has a mixture of inner city and kids from the country. One of my inner city kids was always trying to be the "tough thug" in class. One day while they were taking notes I placed a petri dish on the overhead with a cockroach in it. This boy looked up to take some more notes and on the overhead there was this 2 foot roach moving on the wall. He jumped out of his seat ran to the back and was freakin out. Very funny thing to watch.

Last summer my daughters caught and raised a praying mantis. They really loved watching him, yes we determined its sex, tearing apart crickets we caught for it. We released him when he became an adult.

Now rats...... I hate rats, thanks "1984"

 

[Skyclimber]

I'm not afraid of bugs, they don't bother me, it's rodents I don't like.

 

[Hobbitling]

maybe get one of those plastic bug viewing boxes with the little magnifying lens on it. if it's safely contained in a box it might not be as scary. start with "pretty" bugs like moths and butterflies and dragonflies. then work your way to the creepier bugs like spiders.

make bugs fun.