As the drums of the jungle begin to beat, signalling the return of “I’m a Celebrity” on the 17th of November, a recent tombola survey reveals a bone-chilling statistic: a whopping 78 per cent of Brits are quaking in their boots at the mere thought of creepy crawlies.
Leading the pack in the creepy-crawly phobia is the familiar house spider. Despite its harmless nature and vital role in our ecosystems—nabbing pesky flies and mosquitoes—this eight-legged critter sends shivers down the spines of many across the UK.
The survey dug deeper into our fears, uncovering that 55 per cent of Brits get the heebie-jeebies from the unpredictable scuttling of insects, and half of the population is unnerved by their lightning-fast dashes.
The unexpected face-bumps from flying critters (43 per cent), the alarming ability to jump (39 per cent), and their sheer numbers (31 per cent) also rank high on the list of insect-induced anxieties.
Contrastingly, a small yet mighty 11 per cent of the population embraces these miniature beasts, with tombola’s “Bug Match” game tapping into this fearless fascination.
The phobia spectrum widens with 24 percent of respondents confessing a fear of flying ants and 22 percent getting goosebumps from daddy longlegs.
The list of panic-inducing pests includes slugs, beetles, moths, woodlice, worms, flies, fruit flies, and even the humble snail.
Faced with an unwelcome guest, 22 per cent of Brits resort to the glass jar method, 20 per cent simply look the other way, while others are quicker to call for backup (19 per cent) or beat a hasty retreat (15 per cent).
Yet, there’s a brave 32 per cent who gently escort these critters back outdoors, with men more likely to take on this valiant task.
| Bug | Scary to Brits (%) |
|---|---|
| Spiders | 46% |
| Wasps | 42% |
| Cockroaches | 39% |
| Maggots | 36% |
| Ticks | 28% |
| Flying ants | 24% |
| Earwigs | 23% |
| Daddy longlegs | 22% |
| Giant ants | 20% |
| Slugs | 18% |
| Centipedes | 18% |
| Millipede | 17% |
| Termites | 17% |
| Beetles | 16% |
| Moths | 16% |
| Woodlice | 14% |
| Worms | 13% |
| Flies | 12% |
| Flatworms | 10% |
| Fruit flies | 10% |
| Dragonflies | 10% |
| Crickets | 9% |
| Snails | 9% |
| Grasshoppers | 8% |
| Caterpillars | 7% |
Globally, the king of terror remains the tarantula, dreaded by half of those surveyed, closely followed by Australia’s gigantic huntsman spider.
Not far behind in the nightmare stakes are scorpions, redback spiders, goliath birdeaters, camel spiders, and tiger snakes—all guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping.
James Boord from tombola comments, “Despite their fears, our community finds thrill in engaging with our Bug Match game during ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ season. It’s fascinating to see such a dichotomy in feelings towards our little-legged friends.”
Moreover, a third of Brits admit that their bug phobia deters them from camping, with significant numbers also avoiding sleeping under the stars, forest walks, and ocean swims.
Remarkably, 71 per cent believe that this fear is a generational hand-me-down, with two-thirds eager to squash their bug-induced panic for good.
As “I’m a Celebrity” gears up for its eighth year, there’s plenty of buzz and chances to win. Perhaps, this season might just change some minds about the smallest members of our natural world.