Developing an Appreciation of Bugs

I have a small, but nevertheless shameful confession to make: I hate spiders. And centipedes. And don't even get me started on earwigs, with their little pincers. Just thinking about them gives me the willies.

Why is this so shameful? I'm an organic gardener. Part of my role as an organic gardener, the way I see it, is to be a steward for the nature that chooses to make my garden its home. I focus on keeping the good guys alive (spiders and centipedes are among the good ones) and being as gentle as possible when dealing with the "baddies."

I appreciate spiders. I really do. As long as they keep their distance. About Insects guide Debbie Hadley has a post up today about this exact issue. Her post "Are All Bugs Bad?" addresses the poor public opinion that bugs have. The poor little guys have a bad rep. Generally, it's undeserved.

What about you? Are there any creepy-crawlies, even if they're helpful bugs, that just gross you out? I'd love to hear about it!