do you squash bugs?

[Khaleesi]

I don't squash bugs. I try to have respect for all life. I feel that they have every right to happiness as I do, no matter how creepy and gross they appear to me. Actually, over time, I have kind of grown to like them and think they are cute in their own weird buggy way. It's all about your mind's perception.

However, if by some awful stroke of luck I ended up having, let's say, a bed bug infestation or cockroaches... well... I'm not sure what I'd say then. But if you create an environment where bugs won't want to infest your home, then you most likely won't have that problem (this applies not only to cleanliness, but preventative measures, such as filling cracks around the house and making sure shrubbery is well trimmed around the house, etc.). For those who live in apartments and the sort, well, then you're pretty much at the mercy of how clean your neighbors are and how responsible your landlord is, I guess. Actually, I guess if you even live in a single family home, you could be at risk if your neighbor next door has a problem, too. So I dunno. I'm just glad that's something I don't have to deal with, because I have a real issue with killing anything. But I guess if it's destroying your habitat, you could consider it self-defense since you have no other rational choice in the matter.

[-Dark-Moon-]

I squash mosquitoes biting me as I don't want dengue, barmah forest, or ross river fevers, which are all carried by them here.

[Ironriver]

All the guys at my work poke fun at me because I won't kill the spiders that infest every nook and cranny, I just put them somewhere else when I have to clean all the webs up.

-blessed be

[MistressOfTheMoon]

I squish mosquitoes because tropical blood-borne diseases are prevalent in my country; and while I hate cockroaches I cannot find the courage to crush them. They make that icky sound when they get crushed lol. I also kill bed bugs, ticks, and fleas. So to sum it up, I kill only parasites and disease carrying kinds.

All other insects NO. I usually just shoo them away or take them to safety if they seem to be in a place where they can easily get crushed.

[Lillady]

I do not like bugs but like lilgeekess I have to honestly say I do squash the disease carrying ones. I dislike spiders highly but try to ignore them when seen or will just ask them to leave my home and normally they will. I have bugaphobia, they just give me the creeps, but I try and deal the best I can

[MistressOfTheMoon]

I do not like bugs but like lilgeekess I have to honestly say I do squash the disease carrying ones. I dislike spiders highly but try to ignore them when seen or will just ask them to leave my home and normally they will. I have bugaphobia, they just give me the creeps, but I try and deal the best I can

Ughh. Bugs scare me too. Even the pretty little butterflies

[ClearSkyes]

Can't say I can remember intentionally killing any bugs. I live in the UK, we mostly get common house spiders which are harmless and get taken outside (not by me!) And janny long legs which are hard to catch but also harmless. Guess I'm lucky, worst annoying critter we get in Scotland is midges, now, come to think of it, they get squashed.... horrible tiny things. My bad
Oh a ladybug landed on me while I was walking to the bank the other day, I haven't seen one in forever, it was lovely

[Lillady]

Now things such as butterflies, ladybugs, moths even I can tolerate. Just the creepy ones like roaches, water bugs, spiders I get the ibbie jibbies from

[cloverfox]

The only bugs that I will not tolerate are roaches, flies, gnats, mosquitoes, ants in my house and a few others I am sure I could think of later.

I understand the significance of all other these creatures, but they are not special to me on any other level other than doing what they are supposed to do on this Earth. Although I did recently watch a documentary on ants, and have always thought they were cool, just NOT when they infest my apartment. I tried all kinds of natural remedies first at the time, but ended up with the sugar/Borax combo to successfully rid them from my bathroom.

Anyway, I even like spiders, they are my little messengers. I ALWAYS talk to them and say hello. Last night though, I saw the most gigantic white grub at the bus stop and instantly got the heebie jeebies!! Oh geez, it was so disgusting, but of course I'm not going to kill it, I just let him go on his way and even took a picture because it was so creepy looking!

[mangosandy82]

"Harm none do what ye will." I don't harm bugs anymore. If I see a spider in my room I just let it be. It ain't bothering no one. So why go ahead and end its life? That's not very fair to the bug. Now if you had ants or flees or other bothersome bugs that destroy your house and make you itch yeah go ahead and call pest control.

If a bug lands on me I kindly pick it up and put it down on the ground.

[Seraphin]

I believe everything in the world has soul and so even a bacteria has it. The soul is the manifestation and representation of every creature's purpose. Therefore I believe, we shouldn't destroy anything without a purpose.

However, I believe, humans may destroy living organisms when the destruction can benefit us. For example, we do exterminate mosquitoes and flies so that they don't cause us dis-ease. We kill thousands of bacteria when we brush our teeth. The bottomline is: I kill some species if it serves a human purpose: mainly, for survival. Of course, if it's just as easy to remove a bug from my house without smashing it, that would be preferable.