Having bugs as pets is awesome, but depressing.
This post includes mentions of cruelty towards animals and their owners.
Depressing. No, not because of their lifespans. I think getting them to the ends of their natural lifespan is beautiful, long or short. While it is in fact sad, it's not what this post is about. I recently saw a post from a bug blog about harassment of the blog and those that run them. I didn't want to derail from OPs post, so I'm making my own about bug ownership.
I love my bugs, I have some beautiful beetles, 7 of them! I love sharing pics and facts about them. Whether people like it or not, or are too ignorant to realize- we quite literally would not have an earth without bugs. Whether they feed larger animals that foster plant life for more animals, or are directly in charge of creating more plants via pollination... we NEED bugs. If you don't like them around you that's totally valid. I'm not going to preach to you that because bugs are so important you have to like them. So, why did I mention all that stuff? Because there isn't one pointless bug species. Let's get into that.
Mosquitos. The most common 'I want to kill this entire species' bug. Well, wrong! For many reasons! Mosquitos are a very important part of the greater ecosystem. First, they feed bats, birds, and fish. This would force those species to need to rapidly adapt and cause a drastic shift in those species' numbers and survival techniques. Also, mosquitos pollinate! They pollinate flowers in wet environments. So, yes, even mosquitos aren't pointless, even if they can spread disease. Science is actively working on a way to make mosquitos safer rather than wiping them out as a species. I cannot speak on these experiments or how effective they are, but the fact they are trying sounds like a net positive to me.
I know people likely don't keep mosquitos as pets. Even if the most hated bug on earth has value, then so do pet bugs that people actively love.
Now on topic, you may think you're being funny or quirky by threatening to murder someone's pet. it wouldn't be funny if someone threatened to shoot your horse or put your dog down. Why? Is it because it's a horse or a dog? Or is it because you love the animal. Is it both? You formed a bond with your animal. You know its behaviors and quirks. It feels like a member of the family.
While bugs cannot bond with humans, humans can surely bond to their bugs and feel similarly if not exactly the same. Personally, as an autistic with bugs as my pets AND special interest- I get threats that people want to kill or brutalize them on a daily basis. People in my family ask about them just to tell me how disgusting they are two seconds later. Videos posted about pet bugs for bug lovers get the "KILL IT WITH FIRE" comment constantly, or that stupid flamethrower gif. Again, I ask, how is threatening to burn someone's pet alive okay? Because it's small? Because it's not "pretty"? Because it isn't as intelligent as an aussie shepherd? That brings the question of why you're okay with killing someone else's pet without a thought because you deem it as less intelligent or not up to beautiful animal standard.
You know, if you don't like a video of someone's pet because it doesn't appeal to you personally, you can scroll past it. These lovely people who see the world in their small pets don't need your ignorance and threats of violence on something they love or have fascination with. You look like a jackass with no empathy. Next time you see a centipede video, just ignore it, hide the post, block the poster, even. Harassing someone for loving their pet isn't the hilarious joke you think it is.
as someone with bugs- (not really, isopods!) i get comments like this often