I’m afraid of moths, I have been since I was around five because me and my family had come home a bit late at night, we walked up to the front door and there had been a giant moth on the doorknob. My older sister had the keys so she just brushed the moth off of the doorknob, it flew off and landed right on my face! I was terrified. Ever since then I can’t even go near a moth without panicking, and to make matters even worse my older sister and my younger sister used to catch moths and throw them on me! It wasn’t until my Mother put her foot down and told them not to when I was like 12 that they stopped! I feel like they didn’t realize it was an actual fear, sometimes it got to the point where I would lock myself in the bedroom and panic until they would stop putting them on me… Also if I’m ever in a room where there is a moth I will just watch its every move just to make sure it doesn’t come near me. If it does come near me I can’t help but scream and run away, and normally my family says that “Moths are harmless, you’re overreacting” I mean I know that moths are harmless but try as I might I am just terrified by them. Sometimes I have nightmares about moths, I remember one vividly where I was walking around my house and I looked up to the ceiling where there were moths just covering it and I made the slightest noise then they all flew down at once and seemingly attacked me! I remember waking up panicking and not being able to go back to sleep… So no I’m not overreacting, I really am absolutely terrified of moths!
I’m terrified of moths
What Now?
Read comments from others who are dealing with this phobia or share your own experiences below. Remember, you're not alone!
my name says
Seriously, every time I see a moth, I run away to a room and lock myself until the moth goes away; flies are okay because at least they don’t flap flast like a bird’s wings. I’m literally hoping moths go extinct. I hate moths.
Khiem says
I’m so afraid of moths! Even small ones can get me terrified. It’s the way that they flap their paper-like wings and the way they fly in an erratic pattern that scares me. I always have that fear of one of them flying in my mouth.
Helen says
I am absolutely terrified of the big thick bodied ones that look like jumbo jets. I’m 51 years old and scream like a baby. How shameful, but i just cant help it, i need some kind of therapy. I’m constantly turning lights off around the house and closing windows. I don’t mind using a glass and a piece of card to trap them if they’re still, but it’s the way they dive bomb around insanely that makes my heart race.
Pickles says
I’m terrified and have had to stop working because of them! It’s affecting my life terribly. I work from home, and they are really bad this year where I live and have been getting into the house somehow. I have found them in every room. When they come in my office, I have to leave and wind up not being able to work until one of my roomies can come kill it or if it’s somewhere I can see when they land, I kill them with soapy water spray. I have nearly ruined things though because I start panicking as I spray and wind up getting my computer and books sprayed in the process. It’s not healthy. I am at the point where I cannot fathom NOT being afraid of these things! I have no idea how anyone could not see them as giant bugs with wings. How are they different to a cockroach? Or a giant hairy spider? Their bodies are just bugs and their wings and nocturnal nature allow them complete control to choose their “victims”. I think my triggering moment was when there was a man in front of me somewhere when I was maybe around 10-11 years old, who had a squished dead moth stuck to the back of his shirt. Ever since then, I imagine a moth being on me as I’m unaware, and then accidentally smooshing it on my shirt. It was so gross! I will randomly find myself shaking my shirt off or asking people if there’s anything on my back. I hate bugs so much, but moths are the worst because their presence is so prevalent in houses.
Laura Jayne says
I have never been scared of moths, but I’m 25 and I’m petrified!!! I don’t know why, I’m like a magnet for moths and it only recently starting 3 years ago to be scared. I starting having like a breakdown if I see on fly in and if it’s massive then I go and stay with my dad for a few days. My partner and other family members think I’m overreacting when I run from them but it’s dreadful.
Eden says
I am terrified of Moths I just hate the way they skitter and move around it freaks me out and makes me anxious. They somehow have been coming into my room recently and I’m having little panic attacks. They sit on the window and when I turn the light on I realise they’re inside my room and they start flying towards me I panic and run to my mums room and she moans at me and tells me they’re harmless too. And one time I was in my room, on my bed, on my phone and I heard this noise and turn around to this huge black moth lurking around me so I let out a huge scream and run to my sisters room she yells at me telling me to get out “it’s only a moth” they all say but deep down I can barley sleep because of it. I am only 13 and I am scared because I might never get over this phobia :( if anyone has any ways/ things they do to calm themselves down please tell me x
Adam says
Same, I’m 14 so maybe it’s just a teenager thing? Idk but to be honest, no joke, I would literally rather sleep on the streets for the night than in a room with one. The little ones I’m ok with but the big ones are basically the only thing I’m properly scared of, like an “aw hell no” moment, kinda scared.
Pam says
I am terrified of moths too. When I was a child in girl guides I went to sleep one night on the top bunk in cabin and as soon as ceiling light was shut off moths which were flying around it then went on me and got stuck in my hair…ahh! Nightmare :(
mads says
I also am terrified of moths. Even just thinking about them makes me sick to my stomach. Once there was a massive green moth on my drive way that my friend carried over to me – I started panicking and nearly cried. I don’t know what it is about them but i’m just so scared.
Savy says
I am terrified of moths as well mostly because they have a weird way of choosing me among a crowd of people. Why me? I have no idea and it’s annoying me and it’s scaring the hell out of me plus one time a moth sat on my hand and my hand got filled with tiny red patchy breakouts so I must be also allergic to them. I really hate it when my family is telling me I am overreacting that they are harmless I don’t think they are harmless at all and should have no business attacking me, every time there is a moth in the room they make it their goal to sit on me even if I am sat right next to another person wearing bright white or yellow colours. It’s been exasperating me lucky my husband is understanding and always kills them for me.