They’re creepy and they’re crawly and they sometimes have four, six, eight, or more legs. They’re simply gross and I really don’t like them.
This summer seems to be a memorable one for bugs, with people regularly posting photos on their Facebook pages, seeking knowledge on what strange creatures they may have discovered, as I cringe and quickly scroll past the posts.
Just the other day, there were a few people posting about bugs. One was a strange spider-looking thing, maybe even a moth that appeared to have laid a bunch of eggs on a fence in town. Another was an odd-looking caterpillar, while other people have reported strange looking bees, or wasps, buzzing around their homes.
My solution to all these creepy bugs? Kill it. I know that might not be the best solution, and I understand that many of these bugs probably have a purpose in nature, but I really can’t get past how nasty they appear to be.
Earlier this summer, I’m pretty sure I was bit by something, possibly a spider, while photographing a wedding. I had been walking through wet, tall grass, and only noticed something black on my foot a couple hours later when I sat down for supper. Honestly, my instincts didn’t even let me see what it was before I panicked and swiped it away.
The next day, the bite mark become swollen and looked like it probably had something in it. It stuck around for a few weeks; every now and again it would be incredibly itchy and ooze a little before it healed on its own.
I’ve heard of a number of people, of all ages, having strange reactions to mosquitos and spiders this year. And some reactions sound rather serious. I always figured that our long, cold winters should kill off any of the really dangerous bugs, but considering we had a very long winter, I suppose that theory doesn’t make too much sense.
I know that many area crops are also feeling the effects of bugs this year, with bertha armyworm being an issue, and grasshoppers also showing up everywhere. There aren’t many things worse than walking through a field in flip-flops only to feel the guts of a grasshopper squished on the bottom of your bare foot. Actually, there are probably a lot of worse things in the world of bugs, but it still doesn’t make it any better when it happens.
Although I don’t like spiders, grasshoppers, bees, wasps, water beetles, caterpillars, or most other common bugs, there is one type of bug that bothers me more than any other – moths.
I know they are probably the least dangerous of the bugs, but I really can’t handle their furry little bodies and they creep me out more than anything. Lock me up in a small room filled with stingy bees and angry spiders, but please keep away the ugly moths.
Growing up on a farm, we spent a lot of time outside, and I really am not sure when my fear of moths started, but I don’t think I ever remember not being scared of them. Maybe it was so traumatizing that I’ve blocked out the memory.
I guess summer coming to an end isn’t all that bad. In a way, I am excited for the first frost to come, causing these nasty little bugs to scurry into hiding for a good six months.
