Final Impressions

Well, I came into the class very terrified of insects. I wanted to kill anything that happened to stumble into my house and would not have hesitated to zap the life out of any bug unfortunate enough to cross my path. After taking this class, I am still freaked out and grossed out by certain bugs, but for the most part I am better prepared to live with them. Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are kind of cute, and I never would have said this at the beginning of the class. I did not want to hold one at first but now I am more open to holding one. I still refuse with the cockroaches on campus though. They’re gross and ugly. I totally have a new found appreciation for moths. I have totally conquered my fear of them. Before, I thought they were hideous and disgusting. After looking at them under microscopes, pinning them, and working with them, I now see that they are extremely beautiful. I thought moths were just ugly butterflies before but now I would totally pick a moth over a butterfly, hands down. I am still really disgusted and freaked out by anything that is worm like though. Maggots and other larvae are still really creepy, even caterpillars. Prior to this class, I had never seen or touched a cocoon before. Now I see them everywhere! It’s funny how oblivious I was! This class also cleared up a lot of misconceptions I had about bugs. Now I can go back to my family and comfort them with the fact that no one will get cockroach eggs in their tongue by licking envelopes. I now understand that the main reason I was so freaked out by insects was because I didn’t understand them. They are different and different tends to freak people out. People are scared of what they don’t understand.