Name Your Favorite Insect!

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 8:58 am

Originally posted by C Elegans:
Certainly we all have some irrational fears of some kind. I don't fear bears in general, but since I understand polar bears are one of the few species that actually see humans as food, I fear them, as I fear large man eating sharks. But most of all I fear cars and the crazy busdrivers in this town!

I was once out for a swim from a boat, and saw two triangular dorsal fins closing in on me. I almost sunk by pure fear, but it turned out it was only two dolphins!

I think many fears we feel toward certain animals are due to lack of knowledge, we are simply not used to meet them and we don't know how to interpret their behaviour. I'm sure I would be less afraid of polar bears if I understood their behaviour better.

But of course the most dangerous animals on this planet are we. :sad:

Bears? No problem. Just make a lot of noise and don’t let them smell food. Sharks and all the other deep-sea critters that are out to get me (Giant Squids, Sting Rays, Rock Fish, Jelly Fish, ...)? Major fear. I come from a land-locked state, so sure, part of my fear is not knowing or understanding. But part of it is also knowing that these critters are NOT at all like me. They are not mammals (for the most part), and their brains are wired differently. Can you scare a shark? How can you tell? Blech. But also, I really fear the unfathomable deepness of the sea. I’m a good swimmer, and the deep end of the swimming pool is no problem for me. Lakes don’t scare me. But the ocean with that whole “continental shelf” drop-off-to-no-where thing? Not for me. I mean, who knows what is swimming around under your toes?

fable · Post by **fable** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 9:15 am

You can scare a shark very easily, @C Elegans. Just wear an inflatable sushi chef's outfit when you go for a swim.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 11:34 am

LOL, I like praying mantis but what scares me is height not bad but the weird thing is im a good climb the irony

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 5:12 pm

Originally posted by fable:
You can scare a shark very easily, @C Elegans. Just wear an inflatable sushi chef's outfit when you go for a swim.

LOL

Yes, most of the great shark are endangered species...

Happily, I've never encountered any other man eating sharks than Reef sharks, and the ones I've met were quite small, about 3-4 feet, and at a distance.

Darkpoet · Post by **Darkpoet** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 5:18 pm

@CE, you should go to the Flordia Keys, come face to face with barracuda and nurse sharks. It's not that scary, I had fun. Oh by the way the test was negitive.

cheesemage · Post by **cheesemage** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 5:20 pm

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 7:01 pm

Originally posted by Darkpoet:
@CE, you should go to the Flordia Keys, come face to face with barracuda and nurse sharks. It's not that scary, I had fun. Oh by the way the test was negitive.

DP, congratulations and *HUG*

I've been to the Florida keys, but only for a couple of days. Saw no barracudas or sharks, but I think I'd get a bit nervous if there were many of them close. But nurse sharks I've heard are not aggressive, so probably I wouldn't fear them, only the barracudas.

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 7:32 pm

All bugs are out to get me. I hate them so much, I won't let them touch me.

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 8:58 pm

Originally posted by Gaxx_Firkraag:
All bugs are out to get me. I hate them so much, I won't let them touch me.

*Sneaks up behind Gaxx-Firkraag and empties a jar or creepy crawlies down the back of his shirt while laughing like a loon!*

leedogg · Post by **leedogg** » Fri Jun 15, 2001 9:32 pm

Originally posted by C Elegans:
<snip>But nurse sharks I've heard are not aggressive, so probably I wouldn't fear them, only the barracudas.

they told me at water survival school(you have to have this to work offshore) that the
barricuda's were the main thing to worry about if you had to hit the water(other than hypothermia).

the first thing they say to do is, get rid of any jewelry, they will stike anything that sparkles in the water. a barricuda can slice a hand of at the wrist, no problem!

i've seen guys fishing off the platforms, that a barricuda has came and sliced a snapper in half before the fisherman could get it in the boat.

V' i know this is spamming up your topic, but i thought it was interesting.

TheHellion · Post by **TheHellion** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 5:24 am

Not sure that I can say I have a favorite insect, but there are a few that I particularly dislike.

Spiders, of course, are not insects, but I find them quite unpleasant regardless. So, here's two little snippets of my life that have led to this phobia of mine.

When I was four years old, my mother and I were living in south Tucson, and one fateful day I happened to walk into the kitchen while Mom was washing the dishes. I had something to show her; I held out my hand, and in it was the biggest black widow that my mom claims to have ever seen. I said, "Ouch!" and dropped the thing. Naturally, she completely flipped out. As it turns out, I was scarcely allergic to the poison at all, and my reaction was mild at best. Still, seeing my mother in such a frenzy was enough for it to be traumatic, so I decided I didn't like spiders anymore.
A few years ago, I went to visit a friend of mine in Guam. Now, most spiders I'm okay with; that is to say, I don't risk personal injury in order to avoid them. But the entire island of Guam is completely overrun with wolf spiders, and these suckers jump. I remember pretty vividly how my friend's mom tried to shoo one such spider from the living room curtain, and it proceeded to leap right at her. I haven't heard a loud enough scream to match that one to date. And my friend's mom is a dwarf to boot, so seeing this tiny woman flail about and scream hysterically is quite a sight to see. No offense to dwarves, of course.

[ 06-16-2001: Message edited by: TheHellion ]

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 5:41 am

Originally posted by TheHellion:
I haven't heard a loud enough scream to match that one to date. And my friend's mom is a dwarf to boot, so seeing this tiny woman flail about and scream hysterically is quite a sight to see. No offense to dwarves, of course.

And this makes you dislike them? I would have thought that this kind of humourous response would prompt a wantom desire to explore similar situations with the little critters.

Personally, If I find that someone is personally afraid of something, I try to expose them to it. Call it the psychologist in me... or little kid if you will... but it just seems like a fun thing to do!

That's right kiddies, driving people to neurosis is fun!

Waverly · Post by **Waverly** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 5:59 am

I thought this was 'post your favorite' I see lots of 'I hate yucky bugs'

I have two I can think of at the moment that I do like. The praying mantis. A truly unique and interesting creature and the 'docile' lady bug. Was anyone aware that these critters are the wolverines of the insect world? Their ravanous appetite and ability to kill and consume other insects is impressive.

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 6:05 am

Waverly: Lazdybugs rock!

Darkpoet · Post by **Darkpoet** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 6:32 am

@Vehemence, LOL

All bugs are good covered in chocolate.

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 10:24 am

I love mantis as well. Their movement is fascinating, and they are actually very cute. And I like butterflies, beetles, and dragonflies. Cicadas are noisy, but there are many voices and tunes to listen to.

TheHellion · Post by **TheHellion** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 2:41 pm

Originally posted by Vehemence:
And this makes you dislike them? I would have thought that this kind of humourous response would prompt a wantom desire to explore similar situations with the little critters.

You'd have to have been there to understand. These things were everywhere. I could barely stand to take a shower for fear that one might drop down from the shelf overhead! Aggressive little bastards... not poisonous, but the bite hurts like a mother-something.

Originally posted by Waverly:
I thought this was 'post your favorite' I see lots of 'I hate yucky bugs'

I have two I can think of at the moment that I do like. The praying mantis. A truly unique and interesting creature and the 'docile' lady bug. Was anyone aware that these critters are the wolverines of the insect world? Their ravanous appetite and ability to kill and consume other insects is impressive.

Fine.

If I had to choose an insect that I actually like, the mantis would have to be it. Some of their behavoir is actually quite human-like; particularly the habit of the female to bite off the head of the male after or during a love-making session.

When I was living in Colorado, my favorite bug would have had to have been the potato bug, or what is otherwise known as the rollie pollie. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. They don't bite, sting, or stink, and they're just friggin' cool.

[ 06-16-2001: Message edited by: TheHellion ]

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 2:47 pm

Right!

ThorinOakensfield · Post by **ThorinOakensfield** » Sat Jun 16, 2001 3:36 pm

I was once bitten by a baracuda (similar to a shark) while diving. Those things are vicious and scarier than sharks.

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 12:09 am

"You yell 'Barracuda,' everyone says 'Huh, what?' You yell 'Shark,' we've got a panic on our hands on the fourth of July."
-Mayor Larry Vaughn, Jaws