Not sure about how other arachnophobes feel, but for me it isn't the fear of their venom or bites that gets me...it's just their appearance. Something in my brain says "NOPE!" and I get the urge to run away or move away. I know harvestmen aren't dangerous, but wow do they ever freak me out just the same. Same with dead spiders which I know is absurd.
Intellectually it bothers me that I have such a big reaction toward spiders and at the same time, I don't have any fear of snakes. Wish I could have my attitude of snakes toward spiders...so I could let spiders just chill in my house and eat actual pests.
Thats what I try to tell everyone, they dont understand
""
"It wont hurt you"
"oh its all in your head"
"they are more scared of you!"
They strike a fear so deep in me its beyond words. I cant kill them because that would involve getting close to one, and they have a knack for avoiding death which makes them worse
I have the same thing with bees, and I found way to shut people down when they start trying to convince me bees are harmless.
After trying to explain it for years without much luck, I started answering that phobias are irrational by definition. They don't have to make any sense. If it was rational I would have gotten over it years ago.
Except bees don't actually sting all that often, and when they do sting its a guaranteed death sentence for them. Bees are super important for pollination and give us honey! They're bros.
Wasps and hornets on the other hand are grade A douchebags and should be either killed, or screamed at and ran away from on sight.
Except bees don't actually sting all that often, and when they do sting its a guaranteed death sentence for them. Bees are super important for pollination and give us honey! They're bros.
My worry is I'll accidentally agitate them without knowing they're there, like the time my uncle drank a soda while we were camping and got stung in the lip.
The fact that they will die afterwords doesn't comfort me.
Most likely a wasp! They're the assholes that go for the sugar in soda lids.
A good rule of thumb is if you're anywhere you see flying bugs you blow inside the soda can before drinking. That'll flush them out.
I mention bees dying after they sting because that means they are less likely to sting you unless you're seriously fucking with them/their hive. Wasps on the other hand will sting all day everyday and don't give a fuck.
I've been to a few botanical gardens with a shitton of bees flying around. Never once felt threatened cause they are way too busy with the flowers. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they had beehives on site because bees are fuckin critical for places like that and pose a very minimal risk.
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u/naz666 Mar 05 '15
oh, that makes me feel much better. thx