A fear of snakes can affect everyday situations involving snake bite, slithering, serpent and reptile. It may lead to scanning surroundings, avoiding places where the animal might appear, asking other people to check or deal with it, or leaving suddenly when one is seen.

Possible triggers

Seeing a snake in a reptile enclosure, encountering snake footage or anticipating snakes during an outdoor trip.

Name origin

From Greek ophis (snake) and -phobia.

A fear of spiders can lead to avoiding rooms, sheds, gardens or certain times of year. It may also involve checking walls, bedding or clothing, asking other people for reassurance, or feeling unable to settle after seeing a spider or even an image of one.

Possible triggers

Examples include encountering a spider at home, noticing a web, seeing a spider in a photograph or anticipating spiders during an outdoor activity.

Name origin

From Greek arakhnē (spider) and -phobia.

Also known as

Arachnephobia

A fear of stars can affect everyday situations involving looking at stars, starry sky, constellations and stars.

Possible triggers

Looking at a clear night sky, viewing star photographs or visiting a planetarium.

Name origin

Combines Latin sidus (star), with the stem sider-, and Greek-derived -phobia (fear).

The sting is the focus, rather than the animal itself.

Possible triggers

Seeing a stinging insect nearby, hearing buzzing or anticipating contact with something associated with a sting.

Name origin

From Greek knide (nettle), represented by cnido- in compounds, and -phobia (fear). The nettle root refers to stinging.

A fear of tapeworms can affect everyday situations involving parasite inside body, intestinal parasite, worm infection and tapeworm. It may lead to scanning surroundings, avoiding places where the animal might appear, asking other people to check or deal with it, or leaving suddenly when one is seen.

Possible triggers

Reading about tapeworms, seeing a parasite illustration or discussing a possible tapeworm infection.

Name origin

From Greek tainia (tapeworm) and -phobia.

Also known as

Teniophobia

This name concerns termites specifically. Concern about actual damage to a building is a practical issue and is not, on its own, a phobia.

Possible triggers

Seeing termites on wood, finding an image of a termite colony, or hearing that termites have been found in a building.

Possible name origin

Isoptera is a scientific name used for termites. It supplies the first part of this name, followed by phobia, from Greek phobos, fear.

Seeing or thinking about trees can provoke fear. The concern may involve falling branches, rustling leaves or walking beneath a tree.

Possible triggers

Examples include walking along a tree-lined street, visiting a wooded park, passing trees during a journey or seeing woodland scenes on television.

Name origin

From Greek dendron (tree) and phobos (fear).

This name refers specifically to fear of wasps, rather than insects in general. Appropriate precautions around nests or a known sting allergy still matter.

Possible triggers

A wasp approaching an outdoor meal, buzzing beside a window, or noticing wasps gathering near a doorway.

Name origin

Greek sphex means wasp. It is joined to phobia, from Greek phobos, meaning fear.

Wild animals are the focus, rather than animals in general.

Possible triggers

Visiting a wildlife setting, encountering a wild animal or anticipating animals during an outdoor trip.

Name origin

Combines Greek-derived agri- (wild), zoo- (animal) and -phobia (fear).

A fear of worms or maggots can affect everyday situations involving worms in soil, slimy worm, earthworm and worms. It may lead to scanning surroundings, avoiding places where the animal might appear, asking other people to check or deal with it, or leaving suddenly when one is seen.

Possible triggers

Finding worms while gardening, noticing maggots in waste or seeing a close-up image of either.

Name origin

From Greek skolex (worm) and -phobia.