Very few people enjoy looking at, or talking about bugs, but for many Australians, insects are a source of absolute terror. Whether it’s spiders, cockroaches or bed bugs, these insect phobias can make day-to-day life difficult. To help you understand these fears, our pest control experts have compiled a list of common phobias.
Entomophobia (or insectophobia)
Fear of all insects. Derived from the Greek term ‘entomos, meaning ‘insects’, this is common phobia among those who live in urban environments, where interactions with insects are less common. Entomophobia stems from one of three fears: fear of contamination, fear of infestation or fear of being injured (bitten or stung).
Arachnophobia
Fear of spiders. Derived from the Greek word ‘arachne’, meaning ‘spider’, arachnophobia is the most common fear in Western culture. The fear stems from an evolutionary response due their connection with infections, disease or venom.
Katsaridaphobia
Fear of cockroaches. Many people with this phobia develop it in childhood, when a close encounter with a cockroach caused them trauma. Many people fear the fact they fly or fear that they will unexpectedly crawl over their bodies.
Spheksophobia
Fear of wasps. This fear almost always stems from an early encounter with a wasp, where a person was stung, particularly if it was multiple wasps and multiple stings. This fear usually extends to include a fear of wasp nests.
Myrmecophobia
Fear of ants. Derived from the Greek word ‘myrmex’, meaning ‘ants’, this phobia usually develops after a bite or sting from an ant. Otherwise, some more deadly species of ant, such as fire ants, are depicted negatively in movies also contributing to this fear.
If you’re keen to keep these creepy critters out of your home, then make sure you call our pest control team. At Peace Of Mind Termite & Pest Management, we offer a range of pest management plans to keep your home free of pests, so you can rest easy. Based in Tweed Heads, we provide pest control services to the Gold Coast and Northern NSW.