10 replies to this topic

[sgheaton]

All ya'll bug people. Ants=bugs, combining the term for simplicity. Eh...incredibly open ended question but I think my train of thought can be seen. Just had a thought and curious how YOU ALL, being the crazy bug people you are, react. 

What is your immediate reaction when an insect lands on you?

 

Like if you are out on an "ant walk" scoping to find founding chambers or a nuptial flight... have you ever accidentally stumbled into a mess and freaked out like I would? I know I wouldn't take the time to see, yeah...that's a queen..trying..to..burrow now into my pocket and I don't want to smash her so I gotta...scoop her off my chest in a vial.

 

If I'm sitting in ...well anywhere..and something lands on me, I do the whole freak out and, "Get it off me!" deal. Wondering if others are out during a nuptial flight and have some land on you accidentally...like that one was by my ear that time! BaaahhH!! Murder-smash that thing to show it whose boss. 

 

 

It makes me wonder HOW IN THE WORLD the ONE tetramorium queen I captured last year ended up in my shower. She had to have been in my hair....

 

I do not possess the ability to remain cool and collected when there's an insect crawling on me. 

[XZero38]

i usually look at it first before i freak out except bees or wasps, basically anything that flies with a stinger i usually freak out and frantically wave my arms around hoping to either hit and kill it or make it go away. All while looking like a crazy person in the process!

[sgheaton]

SEE!?! I didn't even think about the wasp issue! And I like to feed the birds who are sloppy and drop seeds, which grow sun flowers that I find pretty, that WASPS LIKE TO BE AROUND. I did empty my wasp trap from last year last week, cause I'm so on top of that stuff....

[noobkeeper]

I used to be scared of wasps, but now I just let them fly over me or even land and I'll just gently tap the, like "Hey girl I don't really like you please go away".

I felt so dumb when I freaked out for a bug. I mean... what can they do to you? Most of them are just 'lil and cute!

[sgheaton]

What can you do??!

 

You can look at CrazyLegs incredible pictures and be glad there's a computer screen keeping me away from the Fomic Trap Jaw Death Creatures! ...that are incredibly interesting to look at. 

 

[noobkeeper]

Well, I said 'lil bugs. If a freaking 4cm ant with super long mandibles came close to me I'd get away as fast as possible. If a bug can't hurt me (beetle!) I won't do anything, but if a deadly armed 4cm ant closes by I'll get the hell out of there 

[Socalfireants]

I love ants, but certain times i can get alittle wigged out. Usually when I'm observing my large colonies for extended times. I get alittle "bugged out" and have to take a break. Its nothing against ants, just sometimes i get alittle weirded out. Not so much anymore. WHat gets me nowadays is what gets uyou guys, WASPS BEES AND SPIDERS, I hate when they land on me. Mostly its the fear of getting bitten/stung. I have to admit though, one times i stepped on an aggressive formica nest and they literally crawled all over my legs in seconds. That freaks me out, even though Formica don't sting. They are just fast and their bites can hurt. 

 

I'm sort of a survivalist at heart. I have to be mentally capable of sleeping in the dirt (if i ever had too). 

You guys need to get your brains ready for whatever life may throw at you. Someday you may be sleeping in the dirt in the woods. How would you survive if you freak out when small imsects are on you? I'm trying to become mentally capable of things that most city dwelling people cannot grasp. 

Humans were made to live with all the creepy critters around, according to nature,  were not supposed to be afraid of critters. 

[T.C.]

I let my tarantulas crawl on my face. I guess things like that just don't "bug" me. See what I did there?

[sgheaton]

That was basically why I was asking it.  Some people have tarantulas, scorpions, and other scary death creatures.

I've never been presented with an opportunity to hold a tarantula or let it crawl over my hand. It would take a little mind over matter and some practicing to get there.

Scorpions? Heck no. I'm not picking that thing up. If I open my front door and see a scorpion, well first of all I'll be really baffled and I'd most likely grab a shovel to catapult it into my neighbors yard. 

 

I should say I'm not one of the "THE BEE LANDED ON ME ITS GONNA STING ME" crowd. I enjoy bees and everything they do. Wasps I'll shoo away.. and hate from afar..  (though they got bad enough last year that I did set up a trap for wasp, yellow jackets, and hornets)

My true fear is swimming in dark water. The whole, "something brushed my leg" deal immediately has me losing all control and thinking I've done pissed off Nessy. 

Edited by sgheaton, March 9 2017 - 12:48 PM.

[Jamie_Garrison]

it depends on what I'm doing...

 

If I am sitting at the pool and something lands on me it is going to scare me and will warrant an instant slap.

 

If I am at a light sheet collecting six leggers I am going to try my hardest not to move till i see what it is...might need to collect it.. 

[Vendayn]

Spiders tend to scare me the most. With two exceptions. I'm perfectly fine with tarantulas, and I think jumping spiders are really cute. All other spiders I don't even want to touch with a shoe or even get close to them.

 

Nothing else really bothers me that much. Bees I just ignore, and I don't see wasps much and when I do, I just ignore them.

 

I'm more afraid of running into a dangerous wild animal or mostly "bad" people out in the middle of my hiking trip. People are way worse than any spider lol. Imagine walking in the mountains, going down the wrong trail...BOOM! booby trapped drug gang field, probably no one there but there are likely to be booby traps. And if someone(s) are there, you are even more screwed.

 

But I don't want to be hiking and look up to a mountain lion in my face either, or a wild dog.

Edited by Vendayn, March 20 2017 - 7:49 PM.