Entomophobia, the Fear of Bugs or Insects

Entomophobia, sometimes known as insectophobia, is the fear of insects. In general, feelings of fear or disgust around insects is relatively common in the US, particularly in urban areas where coming into contact with bugs is relatively infrequent because of the lack of interaction with nature.

When we are trying our best to keep our homes and ourselves clean, insects can feel like an invading force trying to ruin our attempts at a pristine life. It may feel like a reflection on our own inability to manage our personal space. And if you find yourself in nature and aren't used to the outdoors, the prevalence of insects can truly come as a shock. All of these factors can contribute to a fear of insects.

Although they are not technically insects, the fear of spiders is one of the most prevalent forms of entomophobia. Other commonly feared bugs include bees, ants, cockroaches, flies, and butterflies and moths. Many people fear "bugs" in general, reacting in panic to any insect or related creature that crosses their path.

The DSM-5-TR lays out specific criteria for diagnosing a specific phobia. Prevalence of specific phobias in general is estimated to be around 10% of the adult population, so clinical diagnoses of something like entomophobia are quite rare.

Is It an Insect Phobia, or Something Else?

Like many phobias, a fear of insects may be tied to more specific aspects of the object—bugs, in this case—that we respond to negatively. For example, a fear of doctors may actually be a fear of needles. An insect phobia can work the same way. Honing in on the specific trigger of your fear can help overcome it.

Here are some examples of insect-adjacent triggers that may be at the root of some cases of entomophobia.

Fear of Contamination

In many cases, people with entomophobia are afraid of becoming contaminated by insects. Many bugs, such as cockroaches and flies, can carry disease. In addition, disgust reactions can contribute to feelings of anxiety.

A variety of research has shown that we react more strongly to creatures that we find disgusting than we do to animals that may actually be more inherently dangerous. You've probably called a bear cute or cuddly at some point in your life—but it's probably worse to have in your house than a fly, for example. That doesn't mean you'll respond any more positively to a fly, though.

Fear of Being Bitten

Some people worry that they will be bitten by an insect. Specific worries run the gamut from the fear of pain to the fear of illness. Legitimate allergic reactions, particularly to bee stings and fire ant bites, do exist, as do legitimately venomous insects, in which case the fear is not out of proportion to the danger. But the extreme fear of being bitten by common insects such as house flies, cockroaches, and the like are not realistically warranted.

The vast majority of insect bites or stings cause little more than an annoyance, and most fears of being bitten are out of proportion to the risks.

Fear of Infestation

Some people worry about their homes or bodies becoming infested with bugs. According to an article in the Cultural Entomology Digest, people with this fear often bring items that they believe to be bugs to pest control or medical professionals. These specimens, gathered around the house, often turn out to be bits of lint, scabs or dust, rather than the feared bugs.

Researcher Phillip Weinstein points out that infestation fears may be indicative of delusional thoughts rather than a simple phobia. It is up to a mental health professional to carefully analyze the your thoughts and behaviors in order to accurately diagnose and treat the issue.

Overcoming a Fear of Insects

When I was a little kid, I was scared to eat my grandma's famous linguini salad because the dressing and seasoning resulted in black specks all over the pasta. Black specks that looked to my eyes like bugs. All I could think about was little gnats crawling around inside the bowl. So I stuck to burgers and hot dogs instead (much safer). At some point, though, my grandma had me make the dish with her step-by-step and I learned the recipe backwards and forwards—zero bugs involved, naturally.

That was, essentially, a form of exposure therapy that helped me learn that the linguini salad was nothing to be scared of. In a true therapeutic setting, there are a number of different techniques to help expose you to the fear object in a safe space to help you learn strategies for facing and ultimately overcoming your fear.

If your fear of insects significantly impacts your daily life, a therapist can help put together a treatment plan that is comfortable for you. And if your phobia is connected to a different mental health condition such as anxiety or OCD, treating that condition with a mix of therapy and potentially medication can help reduce your fears.