I am. I have a strange phobia. I am deathly afraid of grasshoppers and locusts. Most people react with a chuckle when they discover my fear. Usually it’s discovered when I am in a garden or at an outdoor event and have an unfortunate encounter with one of these jumpy insects. After going into a frenzied spaz and nearly pissing all over myself when one jumps on me, with a blush, I have to explain why I am so put out by these adorable little creatures.
My page 1 submission for HOWiezine 13 - PhobiaSo why be afraid? Initially, I wasn’t. When I was five-years old, I used to play in the fields surrounding my house. The town I grew up in was just starting to grow and we lived on the outskirts near a rural farming community. Our subdivision was being built and our house was one of the first on the street. We were literally surrounded by fields of wheat, corn, alphalpha, beans, you name it, if it could be grown it was there. Of course, grasshoppers love most of these crops and they are almost impossible to control.
That summer it was extremely dry. On a warm July morning, a friend and I were in a small alphalpha field, doing of all things, catching grasshoppers, and putting them into a baby food jar. What we didn’t realize was the farmer was about to set fire to the surrounding wheat fields due to an epidemic infestation of Two-Stripped and Differential grasshoppers. These varieties of grasshopper grow to a pretty good size. Not quite as large as the Eastern Lubber grasshopper, but pretty close.
My page 2 submission for HOWiezine 13 - PhobiaWhen the fields around us were ablaze, the grasshoppers quickly swarmed and converged onto the field where my friend and I were playing. Needless to say, we were covered from head-to-toe with the crawling, hopping insects. I can tell your skin is crawling right now. Mine is too. Well, I ran out of that field like a rabbit with it’s tail on fire. By the time I got home, which was about half-a-block away, most of the beastly insects had made a quick get away. I still had a few in my clothes and my mother rapidly removed any that remained. From that day on, I have been in a state of fear whenever I see a grasshopper or locust.
While researching this phobia and searching for ways to confront this fear, I discovered that Salvador Dali was also afraid of grasshoppers. Dali had an irrational fear of grasshoppers, stemming from his childhood torment by other children, who often threw grasshoppers and other insects at him. When they appear in Dali’s work, grasshoppers are used as a symbol of destruction, waste and fear. Dali represents them with a fearful nature, as large and intimidating in comparison to the other figures, and they are often shown in the act of eating the main subject of the work.
For me, the grasshopper is a nuisance that I avoid at all cost. A few years ago, my wife decided to put my fear to the test at our family get-together. She discovered a good-sized grasshopper at the edge of a garden and thought it would be funny to put in on her arm and then show it to me. Now I’m 6’1” and weigh about 220 lbs. I ran into the house like a little girl and locked the door behind me. I felt extremely embarrassed and scolded my wife through the door for being so insensitive. She just couldn’t understand my fear. Eventually, I told my story of woe to all that witnessed my fear. Most seemed to be understanding of the situation.
I have tried on numerous occasions to confront this fear, but I can’t get past it. For me, the grasshopper will always have the upper hand.
So the next time you see a grasshopper, think of me. I will be headed the opposite direction at warp factor five!
Labels: graphic design, HOWiezine, Personal
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At December 31, 2008 1:30 PM, 
Stephanie,
I can relate to an unbelievable extent. I'm terrified...absolutely horrified of grasshoppers. The only difference between you and I is that I'm a 15 year old girl with absolutely NO obvious reason for being afraid of them. I'm very confused and I wish I wasn't so terrified of such a small thing. They've seriously altered my life.
At February 16, 2009 1:18 PM, 
Mandy,
I absolutely hate grasshoppers! I can totally relate to you! When I was in middle school, we had PACT testing. During our break, we were allowed to go outside. The "cool" jocks were throwing grasshoppers on all of the girls. I stayed away from them, because even then, I hated grasshoppers. But somehow, one of those creepy, nasty, ugly, yucky insects managed to crawl up my pants leg! You want to talk about freaking out!? I could not get that damn thing out! It was stuck, and I have been terrified since then. I'm almost 20 years old, and people also laugh at me when they hear of my phobia. My boyfriend is insensitive to it, also. He once had his friend, who had caught a GIGANTIC grasshopper, chase me around our apartment. That thing was like the size of a shoe! Needless to say, he was in the dog house for a longggg time after that!
At March 3, 2009 12:04 PM, ,
I too suffer this fear. "Acridophobia" is it? It has plagued me since early childhood. and what's really embarrassing is that I love snakes, spiders, heights, etc. whenever somebody asks me why the best answer I can give is because they can fly, jump, and crawl. Because they are not afraid of me! I've been in combat twice! I'm not afraid of bullets flying, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) (road side bombs).....I'm not afraid of anything!!!!! but a little ol grasshopper, I scream like a little girl! thanks for knowing I'm not alone
At March 3, 2009 1:23 PM, Steph,
It's interesting to hear your stories and reading the various reasons for fearing something that is pretty much harmless to humans. Just know that you are not alone in experiencing this strange phobia. As I stated in my post, Salvador Dali was also terrified of these insects. Who knows, it may be a sign of our creative brilliance. I can only hope so.
Thanks for posting!
At March 4, 2009 8:24 PM, ,
OMG! I cannot believe there are others out there with the same phobia! I go into a total panic attack where I cannot breath and start to cry! The last one was in the Natural History Museum in Washington! I was walking through when I realized I was in the "insect" section. KNOWING I would confront one, I told my son to lead me out of there while I closed my eyes. Well we came to a section where a bunch of people had stopped so naturally I opened my eyes to find a way through and when the people parted this scientist guy had a HUGE 3-4 inch grasshopper on his arm!! Panic attack, I started hitting people and found a corner and started crying. People I'm 42 YEARS OLD!!
Heaven forbid you TOUCH me while I'm having an attack! I once busted my son's lip because he tried to STOP me from looking down at a dead one! I saw it, panicked and he touched me, I hit him! Good thing he is so understanding.
Final note, although I loved the article, I cannot imagine someone who is truly acridophobic has pictures! I had to have my son cover them up as I was reading. Yes, people even pictures. And tonight will be the nightmares because I have been talking about them.
At April 22, 2009 4:54 AM, ,
I literally thought I was the only one. People definitely laugh when they hear about it and they do not umderstand. People do start to realize that they can laugh and make fun all they want about it. (I do know how ridiculous it is) But if someone were to even take a step towards me with one, I will freak out. I hear so many...They can't hurt you and they don't bite...Believe me, I know and I have no idea what it is about them that freak me out. Every year I dread "graduation season" because I know what's coming. I feel like it gets worse every year. All winter I think, "what's the big deal? It's just a grasshopper." And I always swear I won't let it bother me. Then the first one that comes near me, I feel like I am going to have a heart attack. I wonder if there is counseling or therapy for something like this?...."Excuse me ma'am, you're hear because you're afraid of what?!?" So funny, seriously going to have to check into it.
At June 24, 2009 5:53 PM, ,
WOW! Do I feel better! I'm not alone! I too suffer from "acridophobia"! I think grasshoppers are just pure EVIL! They are just the creepiest, most disgusting creatures on Earth! I've got goosebumps now just thinkiing about them! They all just need to go away! I cannot be any where near them and will avoid them at all extreme costs! Friends and family think I'm nuts but I do not care! Those things just freak me out! I have been like this since childhood! I have not-so-fond memories of me innocently playing in open fields only to be attacked by swarming, flying, jumping grasshoppers! UGH!!! I'm telling you...they are EVIL!
At June 27, 2009 11:52 PM, ,
I really thought I was alone with my fear of grasshoppers. I am an EMT and go into some situations that would make most people sweat. But one of those creepy, ugly bugs jumped in the window of my ambulance and I almost wound up in my partner's lap. I'm sure my partner thought I was crazy. My children are always picking them up to bring them to me as a present. It is strange because crickets, spiders, etc don't bother me a bit. but grasshoppers make me shiver with fear! Thank you for sharing your fear.
At July 1, 2009 9:45 PM, ,
I am so glad I found this website and all these comments. I truly thought I was crazy and the only person on the face of the earth who hate these horrible evil bugs.
I have always been afraid as long as I can remember. I grew up in southern Florida where they get big. I'm 50 years old and still terrified. I live my life in fear always wondering if I'm going to encounter one. I once left my young children in a resturant because there was one inside on the window. I freaked out at a football game because one landed beside me. Big stadium and it had to land beside me. My husband said they smell my fear. The most horrible thing is when someone finds out about your phobia and they love to torment you. I worked with a man, (Pharmacist) who loved to scare me with fake grasshoppers. I also don't like , pictures and the name Grasshopper or anything to do with these creepy creatures. There is a minor league BB team called the Greensboro Grasshoppers in NC where I live, I could never go to a game. I can relate to the person at the Museum I freaked out as well with my son at the same place he thinks I'm crazy. Remember Biology class in High School, we had to dissect Grasshoppers. I wish I could get some help for this phobia, but people laugh when they hear about my fear. So glad I'm not alone. For those of you who dare, pull up Utah Grasshopper infestation and tell me how any of us could live through this. I would probably go insane.
At August 6, 2009 8:22 PM, gospelstar21,
Ok..wow!! I think its "accepted" for a woman to be scared but what about me!!! a 25 yr old man who is suppose to be brave and courageous!! lol..I am terrified of them!! I don't want to be, I just am. Just like everyone else, they fly and jump and look horribly creepy which causes me to freak out! Skin crawling, my senses heighten so any little movement by anything causes me to almost run faster than the speed of light! That's not the worst part!! I live in south Georgia!! I work at a Home Improvement company in the lumber section!!! Filled with brave men!! So its quite embarrassing when i have to say "excuse me sir, could you please catch that grasshopper and put it outside?" "Oh yeah, can you put it as far away from the door as possible...thank you." DOES ANYONE HAVE A SOLUTION AS TO HOW TO GET OVER THIS FEAR? ANYONE PLEASE!!! I'VE PRAYED ABOUT IT AND EVERYTHING!