With the Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear exhibit now open, fans of Pacific Science Center’s arthropods will have another place to visit with some of their favorite animals. People who have avoided our Insect Village due to a dislike of bugs now have a chance to rethink their feelings. Three species are featured in the exhibit in ways that encourage our guests to explore and challenge their fear of bugs.
The species we chose reflect the reactions we sometimes hear from our guests, as well as the fears of some of our own staff.
Many people have a deep, some say innate, fear of spiders. The Chilean Rose Tarantula (Grammostola rosea) is a calm species of spider. They would rather avoid trouble than face it. When threatened, they are more likely to attack by shooting leg hairs, causing skin irritation, than they are to bite. Even if provoked to bite, their venom is not dangerous to humans. Our tarantula is nearing time to shed her skin, something tarantulas only do once each year. Her exoskeleton is balding right now; soon she will have a new, silky growth of pink hair. She prepares by building herself a nice, comfortable silk pad to lie down on. Her species doesn’t like to touch rough surfaces.
Fear of cockroaches is fairly common. Most people don’t specifically fear being harmed by them, but rather dislike the idea of having them in the home. The Madagascar Hissing Cockroach’s (Gromphadorhina portentosa) natural habitat is the outdoors, which may make them less threatening. They are familiar from popular culture, and are also the one insect Pacific Science Center invites our guests to touch. Touching butterflies can hurt their wings, but cockroaches’ reputation for robust good health is deserved – they can be held and pet by hundreds and remain unharmed. But save the hand sanitizer for after you’ve pet them. It contains ingredients that dry their skin, and is much more of a threat to them, than they are to us.
The Desert Centipede (Scolopendra sp) was chosen for this exhibit because our Life Sciences Manager, Sarah Moore, admits that it is the one invertebrate she fears the most. This centipede can deal a painful bite and is larger than your garden variety. It is also far more mobile than most venomous creatures, running after its prey and catching it with its fangs. But in truth, Sarah’s fear is out of proportion to the damage this arthropod can inflict. Unless one had specific allergies, a bite would hurt but do no lasting harm. Active predators, centipedes are one of the beneficial animals that help keep pest insect populations under control. Without centipedes, spiders, and other carnivorous arthropods, we would have more damage to our gardens and more bugs in our houses!
What insects or arthropods do you fear? What makes them scary? What would make them less scary?
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