Scorpions!

[RetailWorkhorse]

Meh, just keep a mason jar on hand and trap the little buggers.

guess it's a good thing i don't buy them in bulk...

I do! Actually, it's about time for me to go buy another box of 'Nanas. Got two left.

[Pagan]

Las Cruses?

/nitpick/ Las Cruces /nitpick off/ That's just the pet peeve of a native Las Crucen.

I saw the X-files episode you mentioned. Trust me, there's nothing redeeming in it worth sitting through the bugs. GAH!

Oh, I've seen it....just can't watch it again. Although the little SFX they did of the bug that looked like it was actually running across your screen was good. (Apparently, a little too good from reports that I heard.)

Meh, just keep a mason jar on hand and trap the little buggers.

I do! Actually, it's about time for me to go buy another box of 'Nanas. Got two left.

Reference the previously mentioned phobia!

[RayvenQ]

If I ever encountered a Scorpion in a bannana box, I hope that it's an Emperor Scorpion, while they may look nasty they're fairly docile and, in most cases, the venom isn't dangerous to us.

It's funny, I'm arachnaphobic. well, scared of spiders, but whenever I see a scorpion I always think "Aww, how cute"

[mharbourgirl]

Scorpions don't really bother me. Granted, living in Canada, the only places I've ever seen them are on TV and once in the insect labs when I worked at SFU, but they don't... trigger a phobic reaction, I guess. Not to the degree spiders or roaches do, anyway. I'd be scared, sure, since I'm pretty sure with the way I react to bee stings I'd be a world of trouble if one got me.

Spiders, now... spiders just shut my thinking brain off and it's instant screaming panic, unless it's in the bathtub and I can wash it down the drain, and even that takes an act of will. I hate having this reaction to spiders, and I've tried for years to overcome it, but nothing seems to work. Can't even see a PICTURE of one without getting the wibbly-wobblies. Forget touching said picture, I can't do it.

Never seen either come out of the pile of bananas at the grocery store, thank heavens. I don't fancy having an hysterical fit worthy of a Victorian novel in the middle of the produce department.

[Primer]

It's monsoon season here in Houston (this is news to me!) so it's raining everyday and the bugs are looking for shelters to hide in. Suffice to say I now have stock in Ortho.

OT--please send some of that rain inland. Fireworks stands around here are being asked not to open until July 1 because of the lack of moisture, it's that bad.

back on topic--If anybody really wants the brown scorpions, you're welcome to come out to my place and catch all you want. One summer, roomie and I went scorpion hunting, and caught over 25 of the little suckers in 30 minutes. BF at the time took them home to his son.

[Pagan]

Spiders, now... spiders just shut my thinking brain off and it's instant screaming panic, unless it's in the bathtub and I can wash it down the drain, and even that takes an act of will. I hate having this reaction to spiders, and I've tried for years to overcome it, but nothing seems to work. Can't even see a PICTURE of one without getting the wibbly-wobblies. Forget touching said picture, I can't do it.

That's exactly the reaction I have to roaches. People at work find it funny.

OT--please send some of that rain inland. Fireworks stands around here are being asked not to open until July 1 because of the lack of moisture, it's that bad.

Hell, we can't even have fireworks, it's been over 30 days since we've had any appreciable rain, and half the state's on fire (seriously)! Several campgrounds have either closed or banned any sort of open flame.

[Samaliel]

I became pretty much bug jaded when I saw a huge praying mantis on my shoulder when I was a kid. Funny story.

I still occasionnally flail around when feeling something unknown on my skin, but it's mostly a reflex motion. If I see a spider actually crawling on my arm, I'll just punt it away with a finger. Unless it's a big one. Then, I might freak out.

I'm not afraid of roaches, just... grossed out. Bees and bumblebees, I just don't care. Wasps and hornets tend to make me uneasy, but generally manage to keep my cool until they leave.

But I definitely don't know about scorpions. Hardly ever saw one for real. The sheer novelty of the moment might prevent me from freaking out. Or it could get me in a total panic attack, yelling : "Gah ! Die ! Die ! Kill it with fire ! I say we nuke it from orbit !"

[Becks]

Anyone want NJ's rain? It's rained roughly every other day here for a couple of weeks.

[chainedbarista]

mantises, spiders and scorpions are ok; i don't have issues with any of them, i live and let live, for the most part (i do like mantises, though).

sun spiders, however, are another matter:

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/Other%2.../Solifugid.htm


they have a great many of these things at ft. irwin, ca; many too many for my liking (they aggressive and quite nasty to deal with; i'd rather have scorpions any day).

[Evil Queen]

OT--please send some of that rain inland. Fireworks stands around here are being asked not to open until July 1 because of the lack of moisture, it's that bad.

*tries to send the rain away*

Hell, we can't even have fireworks, it's been over 30 days since we've had any appreciable rain, and half the state's on fire (seriously)! Several campgrounds have either closed or banned any sort of open flame.

Better then last year, at least! Socorro got rained out for several days last year. We didn't get a chance to celebrate the Forth until almost the end of the month.

[Samaliel]

mantises, spiders and scorpions are ok; i don't have issues with any of them, i live and let live, for the most part (i do like mantises, though).

I like mantises too, but I think I should tell the story about that one mantis that got me bug jaded.

We were on vacation somewhere in Provence, about 15 years ago. My brother, sister and I had friended a few other kid on the camping lot, and one night, as pretty much every kid do once in there life does, we told each other spooky stories. It's all fun and games, because it's always the same urban legends, and I'm fairly sure older members from across the Pond knew those stories when they were kid too. Some are somewhat new, or well told, so they give us a chill / thrill.

Now, one of the other kids had just finished his story, when he looked at me and said "Hey, you got a bug on your shoulder." Since he didn't sound surprised in the least, and given the circumstances, I shrugged and rolled my eyes "Ha ha. Very funny. Har dee har har." He insisted "No, seriously, there's a bug on your shoulder", and then the other kids chimed in. "Yeah, he's right." "Actually, it's pretty big. How can you not feel it ?" I was in pure disbelief for a good 5 minutes before I'd turn my head and saw it.

As far as mantises around here go, it was rather big, about the size of my hand today. Sitting on my shoulder, almost on my nose, actually, once I had turned my head ! I was looking right into its eyes. Any close-up photo of a praying mantis' head can't beat the one I have in my head since that day.

It took me a few seconds to register all this in. Big green unknown critter, with huge eyes, fearful claws, sitting less than two inches from my nose, looking like it was looking right my eyes (but it looked somewhat confused). I only had the logical reaction : I jumped out of my skin.

The mantis flew away and landed on one of the nearby tent, where we all took a closer look and identified the thing. We were all "Cool ! A mantis ! That's the first time I ever see one ! Looks neat ! It's huge ! Do you think they bite ?"

So, for a bug to scare me, it'd have to top that story. And I don't think any of the regular ones in the area can.

[the toy guy]

I went to the National Zoo in DC recently. The invertebrate house had an exhibit full of spiders, varying in size from a quarter of an inch to one that was three inches across. Spiders don't usually bother me, so I walked up to get a closer look. After a moment to realize that there was something odd about this particular exhibit: IT HAD NO GLASS! There was nothing between the visitors and the spiders! I hastily exited building and found a better sealed exhibit to examine.

[mharbourgirl]

That's exactly the reaction I have to roaches. People at work find it funny.

*snerk* Yeah, the Hubster used to find my arachnophobia funny, until... the incident. I'm sitting at my computer, which is next to the back door, with a big window next to the door. Out of the corner of my eye I see a shape suddenly drop down from the top of the window casing. Brain said 'spider!!!!!OMG!!111!!!', chair goes flying back and I'm at the far end of the room in less than a nanosecond. And if the Hubster hadn't chosen just that moment to be walking behind my chair, he could have avoided the rather large bruise it left on his thigh. Not to mention the ringing in his ears caused by my shriek. And since when I panic I scream at a pitch that will clean glass, well, it was a event of some note.

He doesn't laugh at me any more. Much. But if I ever find that big rubber spider he keeps hidden in a safe place for occasional practical jokes, I'm going to make him EAT it.

[Pagan]

sun spiders, however, are another matter:

I don't know which one's uglier, sun spiders or child of the earth? They're both coyote ugly.
http://wwwstd.enmu.edu/pollockd/jerusalem.jpg

Better then last year, at least! Socorro got rained out for several days last year. We didn't get a chance to celebrate the Forth until almost the end of the month.

I was just realized that I can't remember what the weather was like here last Fourth??? I can't even remember if I was off work. Well, it's not like I've haven't had a complete change in my life's direction since then or anything! /sarcasm off/

[Evil Queen]

I don't know which one's uglier, sun spiders or child of the earth? They're both coyote ugly.
http://wwwstd.enmu.edu/pollockd/jerusalem.jpg

It looks like a mutant ant and a spider had babies.