Do Bugs Get Scared?

Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter. Insects and other animals might be able to feel fear similar to the way humans do, say scientists, after a study that could one day teach us about our own emotions.

Do insects have fear of death?

Insects can be scared to death by the mere presence of a predator.

Why do insects scare us?

Some scientists suggest that our fear of bugs is more of a disgust response than anything else. Humans developed this response to avoid a variety of dangers, such as poisons, rotting food and unsafe living environments.