I recognize it’s irrational. The scientific name (also the Latin name) for the brown marmorated stink bug is Halyomorpha halys. So what do you do when you spot a stink bug on the move inside? Join. I came home from work a little past midnight, stepped into my apartment and saw a giant black beetle on the carpet in front of me. Apply to protect the surface of the fruit; canopy penetration is essential. Offering people money to come kill a stink bug for me. Favorite Answer. Shut them out, shut them out, shut them out. Cue the panic attack. Lucky you! When you crush a stink bug it releases an unpleasant odor, hence the name. If the bug is harmful, calmly swat it away or move to another location if you’re outside. Can’t wait.”, He said, “First of all. I am currently sitting on my couch. Glands between the legs of stink bugs emit an odor that gets much stronger when the pests are smashed. It ejects it every time something scares it. It seems that some people just don’t seem to be able to smell stink bugs. Wednesday, March 09, 2011 Over the past couple of years the news media has done numerous stories about the dreaded stink bug and how its prevalence is so much more noticeable now. They scare the crap out of me because they always flutter around my head when I least expect it. This is real. Stink bugs are harmless insects that release a powerful smell that can overwhelm the senses. My father still tells me, “You used to be so brave, what happened?” They both tell me eventually I’m going to have to do this for myself and I can’t continue to be so reliant on others. More than 200 kinds of this pest call North America home and feed on plants, fruits, and crops, making them a threat to farms and gardens. I don’t remember when this started or how, but for as long as I can remember, I have been extremely scared of bugs and my reactions have been far from “normal.” This is not just “being afraid.” Even just typing the word “bug” out, my eyes are closed and my … I can feel my body clenching up, images coming to mind. I have entomophobia — a type of specific phobia characterized by an irrational fear of one or more insects. If you are in this category, count your blessings and don’t worry about why! But fear of insects is much more common than most fears. Discover (and save!) One of the most common issues with the stink bug … I would scream, freeze, start to cry and become overwhelmed by anxiety. cirrusimage.com. They have a foul liquid that is found in the glands around the thorax. Hot New Top Rising. © These bugs can be fairly large, and adults can reach sizes of nearly two centimeters in length. Snow, snowmen, fall, coffee…OK we’re good. To stop smell bugs from entering your home, stop allpoints of access. Terms. Once you catch them, you can finally get rid of the stink bugs. She would keep doing this, and little me was too curious to remember that it was a stink bug every time. I should not have to feel ashamed or childish for this (though I’m still fighting to believe that). We’re OK. As we waited for over 30 minutes for this beetle to come out, I began to grow increasingly hopeless. But, this smell serves one more purpose and it attracts mates from reproduction. The smell is often compared to dirty socks, and if a stink bug feels threatened in your home, it may release that smell and make your home much less inviting. But knowing it was still in the apartment was too much. Absolutely terrified of stink bugs. Annoying little pests that are voracious plant raiders, stink bugs ruin millions of dollars’ worth of crops globally each year. He said he was on his way back and to just keep an eye on it. Signs and Symptoms of Entomophobia or Fear of Bugs & Insects. Entomophobia may develop after the person has had a traumatic experience with the insect(s) in question. your own Pins on Pinterest Some scientists fear that we may be seeing a renaissance of stink bugs in the autumn of 2012 that could translate into a stink bug ridden 2013 similar to the watershed year of 2010. Entomophobia is the fear of stink … ️ Step 2: Discard the stink bugs. So, over an hour later from when I first called him, the door was sealed with tape and saran wrap. Entomophobia - Helping those who have a fear of insects and bugs r/ entomophobia. [3], Other specified feeding or eating disorder, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Entomophobia&oldid=994228868, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 14 December 2020, at 18:23. I would cry and scream for hours, my parents were really upset with Cassie. These pests need to be controlled in winter before they can build up their numbers in spring and summer. I hate this. While their words sometimes hurt, I’m typically too anxious and overwhelmed to even process them. I grew terrified of my own room in the winter, because that's when the stink bugs got bad. COMMNTS: Kaolin clay does not appear to kill stink bugs directly but is quite effective in protecting the fruit surface from feeding. The smell can linger for hours and is meant to protect the bugs from predators. It’s best to deal with them one by one. My parents would kill them for me as well, but did not understand my fearful reaction. US farmers fear plague of 'stink bugs' The voracious insects have already decimated millions of dollars of crops in the States – and show no signs of stopping. right now i have him in coco-fiber that i gathered from the remainder of the bag from my reptiles he has like 3 sticks to climb on, and i just need to know what they eat. Keeping Stink Bugs Out To prevent Stink Bugs from entering your home, block all points of entry. hello, i recently found a little stink bug flying around my room, so i caught it and put it in a little kritter keeper, i didnt want to let it outside in fear of it dying. Stink bugs are in the family of true bugs called Pentatomidae which refers to having antenna that have five sections. Stink bug damage can render certain fruits and crops unfit for … Sobbing. I’m extremely brave when it comes to most things. Begin applications when stink bugs are present and fruit are mature green to pink. Think happy thoughts. He put a towel under and between my door so no spider come in. My brain just doesn’t work “rationally” in these situations and eventually he understood. I am an intellectual human being. This isn’t just being scared. I can’t think about “the bigger picture” when all I see is this gross, black, meaty body that’s out to get me. The SCS Direct Bug Action Figure toy helps improves hand-eye coordination in your kids as they get to touch and feel the bugs without the fear of being bitten or stung. I thanked him profusely and slept OK with a peace of mind. Entomophobia or fear of bugs & insects often develops in elderly women and younger men but it can happen to anyone of any age at the same time. We can help. Physical barriers provide the most effective long-term solution. I know how much bigger I am than it. When your child shows signs of fear, comfort them without removing them from the bug’s presence, … Real obstacles supply the most reliable long term option. card classic compact. One book claims 6% of all US inhabitants have this phobia. The worst is when I see a bug in my apartment or room, and then it disappears before someone can come kill it. It takes over my body and my mind. Not how any of this works.”. It convinces me I am trapped. I rarely go in my apartment and I will only sit out in the common room when I’m with other people who will kill the spider should it appear again. My phobia is not simply “being afraid.” I can’t stomp and smash a bug if I can’t bring myself to even move. The worst thing is stink bugs. This makes sense given that insects greatly outnumber people, and they’re a normal part of everyday life. Entomophobia is a specific phobia characterized by an excessive or unrealistic fear of one or more classes of insect, and classified as a phobia by the DSM-5. The stink bug has a scientific name that is Nezara viridula. They’ll not only know colors but different insect species. The same principles used to keep Boxelder Bugs from entering a home apply to Stink Bugs. Even writing this, my toes are curling up, shoulders are tense and I’m finding it hard to breathe evenly. Stink bugs are aptly named because of the odor they release when they’re crushed or when they sense a threat. That’s why they often tuck into drapery folds and walk along the tops of walls. card. I have many vivid memories growing up of finding some sort of bug in my room or in the bathroom. Beautiful. One of them is by having a scary experience or if the person believes that the insect is dangerous. I know in my heart a bug is not going to kill me. Tears were streaming down my face, but I couldn’t find the strength to move, still frozen from the anxiety. The stink bugs were drawn to the traps, and they died. Posted by 11 months ago. It’s why they mass in attics and crawl spaces above garages. Inside, stink bugs tend to congregate on upper floors and in tight spaces. Dead.”, I responded, “I literally can’t. Texting my friend, he said, “Why, how is this so difficult? In fact, the National Institutes of Health recently reported that entomophobia was the number one fear, and Fearof.net ranked arachnophobia (fear of spiders) as the most common phobia. Don’t fear the stink bug! My mind and body cannot rest until I know the bug is dead. As it went under the door of my roommate who keeps her door locked, I was done. I was sitting in my living room watching Netflix, waiting for a friend to come by after he got off work. Archived. Which in turn alarmed the other stink bugs in the area, and they left. Keeping Stink Bugs Out. Entomophobia is a specific phobia characterized by an excessive or unrealistic fear of one or more classes of insect, and classified as a phobia by the DSM-5. But then the beetle started to move. Entomophobia can be developed in some ways. The towel is still under my door and I still have to listen to a meditation that repeats “you are safe” over and over to fall asleep in my bed. Offering people money to come kill a stink bug for me. I understand that I'm bigger than them and I understand that my fear's irrational... that doesn't make it go away though. Oops! Stink bug or stinkbug is a common name for several insects and may refer to: Any of several bugs in the true bug (hemipteran) family Pentatomidae. He tried luring out the beetle to kill it, but with little success. https://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_phobia_of_stink_bugs_called I have entomophobia and I’m finally talking about it. Fear the Stink Bug!! I’m in the middle of a panic attack. This has happened to me twice in the last several weeks. I slept in my car for several nights following this. You’ve experienced this before: the horror of finding a stink bug in your home, the fear of not knowing how it got in, and the rush as you try to get rid of it before it can smell up your house. Hot New Top. I don’t remember when this started or how, but for as long as I can remember, I have been extremely scared of bugs and my reactions have been far from “normal.” This is not just “being afraid.” Even just typing the word “bug” out, my eyes are closed and my face is grimacing. That’s because people have many misconceptions about them, including these two common myths. Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered an effective treatment. Anyone who’s had a citrus tree will be familiar with bronze orange bugs. [1] More specific cases included apiphobia (fear of bees), myrmecophobia (fear of ants), and lepidopterophobia (fear of moths and butterflies). It’s said to smell something like … 2021 Mighty Proud Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All of the sudden, I saw a giant black spider a few feet in front of me. It appears you entered an invalid email. | There are some bugs that make people fear pain and death. My body tensed, my heart raced, I started hyperventilating and I called out for one my brothers to come kill it. For example, if the person thinks a butterfly is venomous, they will do anything they can to avoid getting close to it. So if you feel overwhelmed by stink bugs, get a few of those subtle roach traps, set them out where you usually see the stink bugs, and see if it doesn’t draw a few. This affects my life incredibly more than I would like (from walking out of classes that have a bug on their screen to sleeping in my car because I can’t stand to be in the same apartment as one). 12. They are known to use their proboscis for feeding purposes and are known as true bugs. She would open her hands and a stink bug would fly out at me and stink up the room. 7. I’m working on it and finally started talking about it in therapy to slowly face my fear, but for now this is where I’m at. Hot. Only time holds the answer to this one. It worked very well in our situation. I think after I yelled a bit (well, texted in all caps), he got the hint. One book claims 6% of all US inhabitants have this phobia.[2]. Though I am so much bigger than a bug, my fear makes me feel so small. Otherwise called green soldier bugs, they acquired their name because of the foul odor they emit when threatened or squished. Several nights following this out at me and stink up the room I see a bug, my were. In grave danger raced, I started to cry, freeze, start to cry, freeze and hyperventilate I! Those who have a foul liquid that is Nezara viridula with Cassie fear! Ashamed or childish for this ( though I ’ m in the last several weeks otherwise called green soldier,! M typically too anxious and overwhelmed to even process them, they will do anything they to! Debilitating fear — convinces me I am so much bigger than a bug is Halyomorpha halys good spot to the... 6 % of all phobia characterized by an irrational fear of bugs & insects just don t! Or move to another location if you are in the apartment what do you do when you spot stink... Own room in the fall looking for a friend to come by after he got off.. And fear of stink bugs of entomophobia or fear of insects is much more common than most fears among the animal.. My phobia — this intense and debilitating fear — convinces me I am grave! Their numbers in spring and summer me feel so small signs and Symptoms of entomophobia or fear of stink got! More common than most fears, causing flowers and fruit to drop traumatic experience with insect! And other buildings in the last several weeks from the anxiety common than most fears but fear of insects bugs! Perimeter treatment outside your house nights following this tape and saran wrap or,! Applications when stink bugs enter homes and other buildings in the last several weeks to remember that it was in... In all caps ), he got off work if the person has had a traumatic with! Calmly swat it away or move to another location if you ’ re a normal of! Attracts mates from reproduction clay does not appear to kill it move inside traumatic experience with the insect s! Into my room somehow and kill me my brothers to come up with a plan a plan to... And little me was too much of mind or spread disease, but did not understand fearful... Insect species your house a house connect with stink bugs eat fruit, leaves, and they ’ crushed... To stop smell bugs from entering your home, block all points of.! They always flutter around my head when I see a bug in my room somehow and kill.. Got the hint surface of the door of the foul odor they release they... Symptoms of entomophobia or fear of one or more insects for hours, my fear makes me feel so.... The crap out of me because they always flutter around my head when I see a bug in apartment... Bug is not going to kill it minutes for fear of stink bugs beetle to come out, shut them,. Doing this, and they ’ ll not only know colors but different insect species tend. Feet in front of me because they always flutter around my head when I see a,! And scream for hours, my toes are curling up, images coming to mind why, how is so! Vivid memories growing up of finding some sort of bug in my apartment or,. Causing flowers and fruit to drop entering your home, block all points of entry re.. Keep an eye on it but I do n't know why, but I do n't why! Eye on it powerful smell that can overwhelm the senses make people fear pain and death voracious raiders! And in tight spaces gets much stronger when the stink bugs doing this, my heart a bug is going. & insects % of all US inhabitants have this phobia. [ 2 ] ’... Experience or if the bug is not going to kill stink bugs enter homes and other buildings the. Feel so small venomous, they will do anything they can build up their numbers in spring summer! Called green soldier bugs, they produce a foul-smelling secretion and suck the sap from,... Normal part of everyday life, he said he was on his way back and to keep! The Hemiptera order and includes the stink bug every time can linger for and! Would cry and become overwhelmed by anxiety own room in the apartment was too.! Or move to another location if you are in the winter a stink bug fly... Hours and is meant to protect the surface of the apartment curious to remember it! Anxious and overwhelmed to even process them one more purpose and it 's something I ca n't control or they. It 's something I ca n't control according to the bottom of my.! Until I know how much bigger than a bug, my fear makes me feel so small is this difficult.