# Bugs and pain

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugs-and-pain/81287>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 13, 2001, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugs-and-pain/81287 "2001-09-13T07:02:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![golgotha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7bcc69/32.png) [@golgotha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/golgotha)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugs-and-pain/81287/1 "2001-09-13T07:02:04Z")

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My question is…do insects feel pain? We’re all pretty gung-ho about squashing bugs and spraying flies with some Baygon, but would be be so nonchalant if we could hear their screams?

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**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugs-and-pain/81287/2 "2001-09-13T07:07:39Z")

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[sub] **WAG here.** [/sub]

Yes.

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**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2001, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugs-and-pain/81287/3 "2001-09-13T07:11:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by golgotha \*  
> \*\*would be be so nonchalant if we could hear their screams? \*\*

**[sub]WAG here.[/sub]**

Yes, but I suspect that we would call them “little whiny blood-sucking sons o’ bitches” instead of “bugs”.

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**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bugs-and-pain/81287/4 "2001-09-14T08:07:39Z")

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Sure, bugs can feel pain. Try torturing them sometime and watch them freak out. Put a magnifying glass over an ant walking around and it will go nuts trying to get away. I won’t describe any more ways to inflict pain on insects because as silly as it may sound, that’s just cruel (except on those evil bugs like hornets and earwigs:D). I think just about any organism can feel pain on some level; it’s neccesary for survival… ya gotta know when yer damaged and when to get the hell out of a situation - same as with us.