So, You've Just Trapped A Bug, What Now?

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Pretty straightforward question.

Personally, I'll usually release them if they're not eusocial species like ants which I'll usually kill if they touch me or go near food I have and otherwise ignore. I'm more likely to kill them if the required effort to capture is too high or exposes me to more risk than I'm willing to endure (giant hornets wouldn't warrant the effort because how bad getting stung is, for example).

Yes, I just captured and released a moth.

It really depends. If there is a good likelihood I or someone else will be hurt in the process of trying to free it then I'll kill it. Otherwise I'll free it.

I just trod on a moth and feel bad for it. There's a massive spider in the hallway and I'm not going near it.

If they are something harmless like spiders I leave them be as they are welcome. Flies and most things I try to help them out.

Is it capable of hurting me?
Yes = kill,
No = continue to next question.

Is it making a really annoying noise?
Yes = persuade out of the premises,
No = leave it be.

Sounds a lot like a flowchart.

Does it act like a pest, with diseases, contaminates food/water, and breeds a lot?
Yes = Kill
No = Continue below

Is it a natural predator to pests?
Yes = Continue below
No = Skip below

Does it destroy property?
Yes = Find it a new home
No = Continue below


Am I suppose to focus/sleep or don't have enough sensory tolerance for the day?
Yes = Make it leave
No = Next question

Does it fly a lot and prone in getting on my way?
Yes = Make it leave
No = Continue below

Is someone else gets distressed by this?
Yes = Make it leave
No = Leave it

Release it if it's not a spider. If it's a spider its life ends when I find it.

Unless it's a jumping spider, those are tiny and cute. I let those chill where they are.

Release.
The only bugs I kill are mosquitos with the bt dunks ,ticks ,fleas with the dog tick drops,garden pests like aphids and cabbage worms.I use soap spray on them.

Study, examine thoroughly, then release.

Except: mosquitos, ticks, Sand flies, stink bugs, Mealy bugs, scale, aphids, spider mites, lubber grasshoppers and brown recluse spiders.

All get released (except the ones allowed to stay, like the spiders in the basement). Depending on the type and method of capture, I may closely examine it and/or let it climb around on my hands a little, and then (or right away if it’s something likely to escape or anything) outside it goes. We have a plastic, lidded cup that we kept after eating out one time which is specifically used to catch things like wasps and stinkbugs, so even they get released. As long as the cat doesn’t find and kill them first, I make sure that no critter in this house ever gets squished or anything, they have just as much of a right to live as we do (in my opinion, anyway).

Free. I could never live with myself if I killed an animal. I also despise that so many people base their decisions on killing or freeing based on how cute the bug is.

Typically, if I make the effort to capture it alive, I'll release it to the wild. If it's something that is to be killed on sight*, I don't make the effort to capture it first. Judgement primarily based on utility. No one kills spiders around here, I don't care how scared of them you are. Bees and bumblebees are to be protected.


*mosquitoes/horseflies and similar bitey pests, wasps if Indoors, ticks, fleas and whatever other bloodsuckers

I thought you made pets out of the nasty ones.

Only if they're interesting enough to make up for the trouble they cause.

Decent people obviously make their decision based on how much effort is involved.