Squashing bugs

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I hate killing bugs and always feel horribly guilty after I do.

Except for a long time moths, because I had a huge phobia.

I generally don't kill insects, spiders or other bugs, at least most of the time I just can't, because it's murder. But I admit that on the rare occasions I have had bugs that were a little more unusual or scary than normal, I have put them in the toilet. I never thought of the more humane idea of simply putting them outside and should try that from now on.

I don't like to kill bugs, but I do it when I have to. Sorry, but anyone who never does must not know what it's like to wake up with hornets buzzing overhead, or to have hundreds of ants (not exaggerating) invade their house at a time. And mosquitoes... has anyone who has ever been around mosquitoes ever actually not killed one?!

It depends how big the spider is, but I prefer to free them to the garden and I dont think it would find much food or friends in my house

I like entomology (study of insects) mainly butterflies and moths, I try to collect a male and female of each species and preserve them but no more than those two. Then I plant their foodplants in the garden to support large families of them in return for the two for my collection apart from the moths I once had from South Africa that had 9inch wing spans that would destroy the ecosystem here in the UK! xD

i don't like the crunching sound they make when you crush them...

I'm merciful to most bugs, but spiders that invade my home will meet a swift demise. I was bitten by one years ago and the bite swelled up to nearly the size of a golf ball. Of course, it itched horribly, I scratched it, and I developed a bacterial infection. My right arm was covered with small bumps for weeks, and I had to take antibiotics to get rid of them. There's still a small discoloration on my arm where I was bitten.

Not an experience I'd like to repeat.

I don't see what is so reprehensible about insects or bugs, or arachnids (spiders) for that matter. Tarantulas are my favorite. They're cool.

Maybe it is an autistic thing? Isn't it odd that there seems to be some commonality here? While this is not a scientific survey, it appears there is something shared.

Curious.


Maybe this is related to concreteness. A bug crawling on the ground is just that - no attachment of that perceived phenomenon to an emotional response. Any actions taken against the critter are in response to an actual situation (ants in the kitchen are dealt with, ants in the garden, maybe not).

We are an odd lot ...

I will actually change my stride to avoid squishing a bug. It's not a zealous avoidance on some deep spiritual level, just a sort of 'oops - sorry ... didn't mean to interfere ...'

I love tarantulas. I once had one, and a scorpion. Unfortunately I couldn't get either of them to eat, and they died.

Same. When a mosquito comes to suck my blood, I see it as criminal assault that threatens my physical well-being and possibly my life if it might be harbouring diseases, and I exterminate specifically red wasps on sight, not yellow ones that have never bothered me if unmolested, because they habitually fly in my face and try to sting me. I just don't think it's good form to kill the things without having some reason to do so.

Also, I refuse to kill non-venomous snakes. In fact, I have been known to get angry and shout at people who do, saying, "do you just want to lay out a door-mat for copperheads? Are you stupid?" Because, in my eyes, the non-venemous snakes keep the venomous ones from having a "niche" to move into (although the idea of "ecological niche" is flawed even if not completely inaccurate).

Anyway, I see where you're coming from. I think that where it might tie in with autism is that autists might have to take it to heart that it's wrong to commit assault on a living thing, since they can't make a direct emotional connection with human beings. Because they have to learn a theoretical, intellectual form of empathy rather than one naturally arising from a connection with someone else, it might seem just as logical to behave compassionately toward a bug as toward a human being.

Other than that, I don't know whether there is any connection at all.

i hate bugs and will kill em all

But your are consistent, like any good aspie

Cool. Sorry to hear that your scorpion died, though. That's sad. I intend on purchasing a couple of stick insects some day whenever I encounter the spare time. They're cool, too.

Thanks. And, stick insects are cool. I've only seen two in real life (well, unless maybe I saw more and thought they were twigs, haha); one was brown and the other was green.

My concept of bugs is simple:

Happy bugs are taken outside, back to their natural habitat. These include ladybugs, crickets, moths, and other easy-to-get-along-with bugs.

Evil bugs shouldn't be in my house and get what's coming to them. These include no-see-'ums that bite me and leave huge red welts, and evil spiders that want to bite me.

depends entirely on the threat to myself and my subtropical garden.

false widows occasionally get vacumned if i can be bothered and if i think the people upstairs are asleep. Thrips, spidermites etc i have to do something about. I wouldnt mind a few, but in the unnatural environment of an indoor garden it doesnt work like that - either they leave or you get a full-on plague.

All other spiders i try and actively encourage. Silverfish are fun to look at!