It’s not that our two states disagree that there are insects that should be hated, it’s just that we disagree on which creep should evoke the greatest contempt.
Let’s start with a little self-examination. Are you cool with bugs or do they kill you? It’s okay to admit to being bugged, and please remember that when you feel this way, you are far from being alone. I have a bug-phobic daughter and believe me, the most dangerous place in our house is somewhere near an exit if she sees a bug (of almost any kind) in the room. Move or die has become a family motto.
As I said, it’s very, very common to get freaked out by mistakes. In Chapman University’s 2016 American Fear Survey, 25 percent of respondents said they were afraid of insects and / or spiders. That’s more than the number of people who were afraid of:
- Murder by a stranger
- Sexual assault by a stranger
- Raid
- Group violence
- Walking alone at night
- Get seriously ill
- To die
TheCut.com, in an article titled “Insects Are Scary Because Your Brain Mistakes Disgust for Fear,” offers the theory that disgust for mistakes creates what is known as a rejection response. Basically, it’s your brain that creates an overwhelming feeling that you need to get this scary thing away from you right now.
TheCut.com:
For example, we are disgusted with poop and rotting food because everyone has the potential to make us sick. With this in mind, the presence of insects often indicates that something is unsafe to consume or touch. Over time, we’ve linked Messenger to the threat itself.
Now that we’ve covered why some of us (Molly looking at you) really get freaked out by mistakes, let’s see which mistakes we hate the most.
PestStrategies.com posted an article on their website that takes a look at the most hated bugs in America from state to state. Their survey of approximately 3,500 people found that there were 6 bugs (I’m including spiders as bugs) that really hit Americans. They are:
- Cockroaches
- Bed bugs
- be crazy
- Centipede
- Ticks
- Mosquitoes
Roaches are your big winner or loser depending on your perspective. Roaches are the most hated beetle in 29 states, including our state of Illinois. North of the Cheddar Curtain in Wisconsin, they hate the bed bugs. Indiana residents are also on the bed bugs while targeting mosquitoes in Iowa.
I’m just glad we didn’t have to add Murder Hornets to our shortlist.
