Going camping with family in Wyoming... terrified of some bugs, snakes. Can you help me? (Cody: house, dangerous)

[aaronstlcards]

Ok, so my family is going camping in Wyoming, and I am really looking forward to it. About once every summer, we go on a really fun camping vacation.

But, there is one problem, I hate snakes and big nasty bugs (spiders, centipedes...). When I say that I hate snakes, I am not joking at all. I am terrified of them. Literally, just the sight of one will freak me out. Like at the zoo in St. Louis, I didn't go in the reptile house because of the snakes, even though they are behind glass. Also, I never really was all that afraid of most bugs, but in the last few years, I really have developed a fear of most of them, mainly spiders, centipedes, worms, and any bugs bigger than a quarter. I know this sounds wimpy, but I don't want bugs to ruin my time.

So, a few questions. What kind of bugs do you have in Wyoming? Which ones are the most common? Where are they concentrated? Which ones can hurt me? Thanks in advance for the help.

[WyoNewk]

We don't have a big snake problem in Wyoming. The bugs usually eat them whole.

[SkunkApe]

I think they're are a lots more snakes in Missouri than Wyoming. Too cold, here. The only dangerous ones are the prairie rattlers, which are smallish.

I've been here a bit over two years, and done a lot of hiking and some camping. The only rattlers I have seen are dead ones on the roads. Oh, and one that crawled into the compressor room in our shop. It was easily dispatched, however.

[aaronstlcards]

See, the thing with me is the sight of a snake, just the sight, will really freak me out. I don't know why but I just have a really huge fear of snakes. So even seeing a dead one on the road will scare me .

[aaronstlcards]

We will be camping two nights in Yellowstone and two night in the Grand Teton's in late July/early August. What are the chances that I see a snake? Be brutally honest.

[TKS64]

Aaron, have you considered another hobby? Intense fear of snakes/insects and camping generally don't go together. In fact, although lots of people hate snakes, your phobia sounds so extreme that it may actually be a medical condition. You may want to ask your doctor about it.

Just a friendly suggestion; I hope you don't take offense. I once read an article about a guy who was deathly afraid of squirrels. Every time he saw one he would absolutely lose it. Since squirrels aren't exactly rare, it was obviously a big problem in his life. So he went to a psychologist who figured out that the phobia was the result of a bad experience he had as a child. The guy went through some therapy, and he was cured.

At any rate, in Yellowstone I'd be much more worried about grizzlies than snakes or bugs.

[aaronstlcards]

Originally Posted by TKS64

Aaron, have you considered another hobby? Intense fear of snakes/insects and camping generally don't go together. In fact, although lots of people hate snakes, your phobia sounds so extreme that it may actually be a medical condition. You may want to ask your doctor about it.

Just a friendly suggestion; I hope you don't take offense. I once read an article about a guy who was deathly afraid of squirrels. Every time he saw one he would absolutely lose it. Since squirrels aren't exactly rare, it was obviously a big problem in his life. So he went to a psychologist who figured out that the phobia was the result of a bad experience he had as a child. The guy went through some therapy, and he was cured.

At any rate, in Yellowstone I'd be much more worried about grizzlies than snakes or bugs.

Jeez, I didn't think I had a medical condition, I hope I don't . Anyway, , I only have an intense fear of snakes, with bugs I think that I am just as scraed as most others, maybe I over exaggerated a little bit earlier.

As much as I feel bad for the guy who was afraid of squirrels, it just sounds kind of funny .

[SkunkApe]

Originally Posted by aaronstlcards

We will be camping two nights in Yellowstone and two night in the Grand Teton's in late July/early August. What are the chances that I see a snake? Be brutally honest.

I have been to Yellowstone five times. I have never seen a snake there. Too high up, maybe? So I'm guessing your chances of seeing a snake are essentially zero.

I do agree with TKS64, though. You should probably get a new hobby. Or vacation in Antarctica, or something.

Either that, or cowboy up.

I've got this thing about spiders. They give me the willies. I think probably because I saw the movie "The Fly" when I was real young, where that guy got his head transmogrified onto a fly's body and then got caught in a spider's web. (Help meeee. Help meee.) At some point, I realized that a grown man being afraid of spiders was abnormal at best, and sissified at worst. So I quit being afraid of them. Now I just kill them.

Good luck on your vacation.

[mtlogger]

Originally Posted by aaronstlcards

Ok, so my family is going camping in Wyoming, and I am really looking forward to it. About once every summer, we go on a really fun camping vacation.

But, there is one problem, I hate snakes and big nasty bugs (spiders, centipedes...). When I say that I hate snakes, I am not joking at all. I am terrified of them. Literally, just the sight of one will freak me out. Like at the zoo in St. Louis, I didn't go in the reptile house because of the snakes, even though they are behind glass. Also, I never really was all that afraid of most bugs, but in the last few years, I really have developed a fear of most of them, mainly spiders, centipedes, worms, and any bugs bigger than a quarter. I know this sounds wimpy, but I don't want bugs to ruin my time.

So, a few questions. What kind of bugs do you have in Wyoming? Which ones are the most common? Where are they concentrated? Which ones can hurt me? Thanks in advance for the help.

You're too funny The only snakes I ever saw were in my pasture south of Cody and my cat ate that one. The other one was a watersnake at BB Reservoir - and I used it for bait - got a nice rainbow with it.

We had spiders up to two inches across - no lie - had one in the pole barn down there. Spun this HUGE web about five feet across. Caught all kinds of bugs and flies. I left it alone b/c she was doing a great job

Yellowstone has plenty of animals that eat snakes and mice and other critters too, so I wouldn't stress over it.

Go up there and enjoy yourself. I was there on Friday - it was 38F - bring warm clothing and don't feed the Grizz!

[Darrow]

Don't turn over any rocks in the desert and keep away from the canals/irrigation ditches/rivers. If I start looking for spiders/bugs I will find them in the house eaves or the basement window wells, but rarely notice them scurrying around on a daily basis - except daddy long legs. I agree with the posts about the grizzly bears, every year - some chucklehead from the east thinks they are invincible and will get as close as they can to the grizz or the buffalo to take that great shot...they are far more dangerous than snakes & spideys.