# Tiny bug on your monitor: swat it or no? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 13, 2007, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825 "2007-06-13T07:53:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/1 "2007-06-13T07:53:34Z")
Just a minute ago, there was a tiny green bug on my monitor screen. I raised my hand to swat it as usual, but then it occurred to me that perhaps I shouldn’t. Who knows what kind of experience of life it has – maybe it’s a lot more sentient than we imagine. Maybe it’s the dumbest, happiest creature in the universe. Is it really worth risking something like that just to save myself the _very_ minor annoyance of having it on my screen? Then I figured that it must be a vegetarian, and it sure isn’t gonna land on any vegetables in this apartment, so I may as well kill it rather than have it starve to death in 12 hours. Rationalization? What would you do? ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/2 "2007-06-13T14:51:43Z")
Based on reading the thread title, my decision is “move it–don’t squish it because it’ll get the monitor glass dirty.” ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/3 "2007-06-13T15:32:46Z")
I smacked a fly on my monitor once and the mark is still there. I hate flies. They like to walk around the rim of my glass of Pepsi and sometimes one will fall in. But a little green bug? I’d let it live. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/4 "2007-06-13T21:18:00Z")
[QUOTE=iwakura43] Based on reading the thread title, my decision is “move it–don’t squish it because it’ll get the monitor glass dirty.” [/QUOTE] Same here. ---
**Author:** ![Yag\_Rannavach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/858c86/32.png) [@Yag\_Rannavach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yag_Rannavach)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/5 "2007-06-13T21:21:39Z")
Monitors only attract bugs when their Gods desire sacrifices. It is my duty, as a user of a monitor, to obey the will of the Monitor Gods and sacrifice the little bugs. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/6 "2007-06-13T21:26:12Z")
[QUOTE=iwakura43] Based on reading the thread title, my decision is “move it–don’t squish it because it’ll get the monitor glass dirty.” [/QUOTE] It was so tiny that it clearly wasn’t going to leave more than the smallest smudge – one pass with a tissue and it was gone. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/7 "2007-06-13T22:17:57Z")
Kill it! Kill it! KILLLLLLLL IT! ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/8 "2007-06-13T22:44:33Z")
Swat. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/9 "2007-06-14T01:29:15Z")
I usually figure out what the bug is… totally forgetting what I intended to do with the computer in the first place. Then I determine whether or not it will live dependent on 1. is it harmful or beneficial? 2. can it survive in a household environment and if not, do I care to take it outdoors? 3. Most important factor… Are the cats bored and nearby? If so, it is “Meet the cute kitty, lil’ bug!” ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/10 "2007-06-14T05:14:59Z")
A small, non-obnoxious winged bug? I’d try to gently remove it and end up accidentally smearing it. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/11 "2007-06-14T05:43:30Z")
Flies annoy me and thus they die. Ants are immediately killed on site regardless of the situation if I find them in my apartment. Ants lead to more ants, I want the rare amount of times I see them to remain rare. Everything else, including spiders which terrify me, gets the protection of a catch and release policy. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/12 "2007-06-14T05:55:05Z")
I’m one of those people who always hates killing bugs. I will kill flies and wasps because they buzz around so quickly and are hard to capture. Anything else, particularly slow-moving bugs that seem harmless, I try to just put them outside. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/13 "2007-06-15T14:20:50Z")
If it is on MY monitor, and you squish it, you will be cleaning my monitor for the rest of your life. No fingerprints, no streaks. Get to work. I can’t believe you would have just touched my monitor screen. How would you like me to pour coffee all over your desk? Would you like some smears on your glasses? \ I will however, swish it off of my monitor and squash it like the bug it is. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/14 "2007-06-15T15:03:50Z")
Spare its tiny life like a benevolent god. Random act of kindness sorta thing. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/15 "2007-06-15T16:36:09Z")
I can’t reach my monitor from where I’m sitting. If a bug shows up, I try to encourage it to move by fanning it with a piece of paper. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/16 "2007-06-15T17:10:27Z")
If I can get it fast enough, consider it squooshed. Always. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/17 "2007-06-15T18:55:17Z")
I came here for the benefit of your monitor. Don’t swat bugs on it please. Try catching the bug with a soft tissue, or vacuum it up with one of those little whiny vacuums. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/18 "2007-06-16T02:06:36Z")
Just click it with your mouse pointer. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/19 "2007-06-16T02:07:37Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] I came here for the benefit of your monitor. Don’t swat bugs on it please. [/QUOTE] Aye. You never know when you might catch something at _just_ the right speed and angle … I cracked a car windshield once trying to swat a mosquito. Missed the little _)$%@#)_(, too. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825/20 "2007-06-16T05:18:22Z")
I’d just blow it off. It’s a bug, who cares! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-bug-on-your-monitor-swat-it-or-no/407825.md?page=2)