# When nature grosses you out **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 12, 2007, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612 "2007-03-12T15:48:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/181 "2007-03-21T00:02:28Z")
[QUOTE=Maastricht] [Slime moulds are fascinating.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slime_mould)Slime moulds are truly the closest thing to aliens we have on Earth. They are neither bacteria nor fungus. The best way to describe them is like a fungus that can walk. Or a coral organism without its shell, walking on land. Did you know slime moulds can [solve puzzels?](http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s189608.htm) [/QUOTE] I wanted to link the article from last summer that had a slime mold floating in a lake that was many cubic yards in size. The dog vomit slime mold does look like pochy made a mess so I had to add it. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/182 "2007-03-21T00:18:11Z")
[QUOTE=Maastricht] [Slime moulds are fascinating.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slime_mould)Slime moulds are truly the closest thing to aliens we have on Earth. They are neither bacteria nor fungus. The best way to describe them is like a fungus that can walk. Or a coral organism without its shell, walking on land. Did you know slime moulds can [solve puzzels?](http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s189608.htm) [/QUOTE] You just blew my mind. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/183 "2007-03-21T01:40:20Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] [Under no circumstances whatsoever do you want to click this link](http://youtube.com/watch?v=8CL2hetqpfg). [/QUOTE] Now I know where Stephen King gets his ideas from. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Push\_Up\_Bra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/edb3f5/32.png) [@Freudian\_Push\_Up\_Bra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Push_Up_Bra)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/184 "2007-03-21T04:51:01Z")
I’m scared to click **Cervaise** ’s link. Can someone braver give me a clue as to what I would be getting myself into? ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/185 "2007-03-21T05:25:10Z")
[QUOTE=Freudian Push Up Bra] I’m scared to click **Cervaise** ’s link. Can someone braver give me a clue as to what I would be getting myself into? [/QUOTE] feeding time for the giant centipede I can look at just about any picture without being grossed out. Quite a few things will gross me out if seen in person though. But, only one thing will cause me to shudder uncontrollably, lose sleep, and gag - just from thinking about it. Head lice. As soon as I read the thread title, I thought of head lice and started to shudder. I haven’t stopped yet and it’s been about 30 minutes. I have nightmares about lice. If I find out someone I know has been exposed, I refuse to have any contact with them until I have proof that they didn’t catch it. I had lice when I was 10. I got it after going to the only sleepover I ever went to. My waist length hair had to be cut to just slightly longer than a crew cut. I required many treatments with RID and my mom and two sisters spent hours, every night for weeks picking nits out of my hair. I was out of school for weeks. I had scabs on my scalp for years because they would get ripped off when I brushed my hair. For some reason, my sisters and mom never caught it from me. I don’t know how they got so lucky. One of my sisters had your typical late 80’s hairspray fetish so I assume the bugs couldn’t find a spot of scalp to eat. I don’t understand my other sister and my mom though. I am now 27. It’s been just about 17 years since I had lice. As I said, I still have nightmares - at least once a week. My mother still has nightmares too but I don’t think she has them as often. Unfortunately, I have a chronically itchy scalp. I don’t have dandruff and my scalp isn’t dry. I’ve tried dozens of OTC remedies for itchy scalp but the lack of an actual dry scalp makes it difficult for them to do their jobs. As soon as my head starts to itch, I start to think about bugs. Not a day goes by without me thinking about lice. I think I’d rather have a giant centipede on my head. Oh, and I think lotus pods are beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![desaparecido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@desaparecido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desaparecido)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/186 "2007-03-21T13:57:00Z")
Check this story out He was definitely not creeped out about nature: [http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004092008,00.html](http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004092008,00.html) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/187 "2007-03-21T14:16:51Z")
[QUOTE=desaparecido] Check this story out He was definitely not creeped out about nature: [http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004092008,00.html](http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004092008,00.html) [/QUOTE] AAAAAH! Summary: man killed by his black widow spider and then fed upon by his other pet creatures. ::bleah smilie ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/188 "2007-03-21T14:22:42Z")
“It’s the cir, cle … the cir-cle of li-i-i-i-i-ife …” ---
**Author:** ![Beaucarnea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@Beaucarnea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beaucarnea)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/189 "2007-03-21T21:01:22Z")
Look what I found! A hideous, disgusting, sneaky, filthy leech. In my backyard. Hiding under a rock. Waiting. I thought they were small- when I see leeches on the Discovery Channel they look like bloated commas. This one is gigantic. How did I get so lucky? I haaaaaate parasites of all kinds, so I decided to try some aversion therapy. I picked it up. Carried it into the house while screeching like a little girl. Dropped the [leech in a plate](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beaucarnea13/detail?.dir=/7828re2&.dnm=c325re2.jpg&.src=ph), and took these pictures. It looked dry, so I put [water on it](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beaucarnea13/detail?.dir=/7828re2&.dnm=5609re2.jpg&.src=ph). And it [quadrupled in size](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beaucarnea13/detail?.dir=/7828re2&.dnm=bddcre2.jpg&.src=ph) and tried to come after me. I screamed until I was hoarse, then remembered the aversion therapy. [So I poked it.](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beaucarnea13/detail?.dir=/7828re2&.dnm=ea4ere2.jpg&.src=ph) Okay, I didn’t actually poke it, but I poked in its general direction. That’ll teach it. Then I carried it outside and [dumped it into the creek](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beaucarnea13/detail?.dir=/7828re2&.dnm=73fdre2.jpg&.src=ph) with the hungry bluegill. You should have seen it swimming- it was huuuuge. Very stretchy. On what part of the Amazon do I live? On the border of Virginia and Tennessee part. I gotta go take a shower now. Can the heebie jeebies be surgically removed? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/190 "2007-03-22T12:52:40Z")
I will always remember the leaches in The Amazon Queen. I haven’t seen it since childhood. The leaches I see around here are about 1 inch at rest streachable to 3 inches . I don’t freakout with them, but I know better than to go in places where they hang out. You still get an occasional one, but that’s why you learn to check for them as soon as you can. You want to get them off before they get their mouth dug in to far. [I hate the Sea Lampreys. They are nasty and it took a while to find a control for them.](http://www.protectyourwaters.net/hitchhikers/fish_sea_lamprey.php) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/191 "2007-03-22T12:58:52Z")
Here’s [a nasty little nature gross-out.](http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2970764) The big question - if this offender moves to Ohio, will he need to get a special license plate so that he is not a threat to deer carcasses in our neighborhoods? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/192 "2007-03-22T13:07:05Z")
[QUOTE=Beaucarnea] Confession: I have a _vulgar garden_. When it blooms this summer, I will enclose pics. It is full of [calla lillies](http://images.google.com/images?q=calla+lily&hl=en&um=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title) ,[peter peppers.](http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&q=peter+pepper), and [clitoria](http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&q=clitoria). It is planted around my front door, and visitors take note, look perplexed, then choose to say nothing. Cracks me up. [/QUOTE] To continue the theme, don’t miss out on growing [“titty fruit”](http://www.banana-tree.com/Product_Detail~category~15~Product_ID~670.cfm) and [this wonderful new introduction](http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/us/en/product/gww4230/1). ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/193 "2007-03-22T13:25:00Z")
[QUOTE=Beadalin] Oh God, I just remembered another awful nature show clip. It was a young giraffe completely covered in HUGE ASS ticks. HUGE. He was staggering around from losing so much blood to them. I had to change the channel, I couldn’t handle watching it. [/QUOTE] Aghhhhhhhhhh… ☹ . Parisites. Noting worse.. And while I’ve never owned a giraffe, my poor little kitten…the runt of the litter..well when I got home (my SO was taking care of them, he’s normally very good about these things) was literally crawling with fleas. Like I’ve never seen. She couldn’t get milk and at the same time she was losing nutruients to vile little insects. I tried to feed her but it was too late. Curse those little flea heads and all there family into the 7th generation. ---
**Author:** ![Beaucarnea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@Beaucarnea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beaucarnea)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/194 "2007-03-22T13:53:34Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] To continue the theme, don’t miss out on growing [“titty fruit”](http://www.banana-tree.com/Product_Detail~category~15~Product_ID~670.cfm) and [this wonderful new introduction](http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/us/en/product/gww4230/1). [/QUOTE] Hey! I like those hairy balls! And the titty fruit don’t look anything like titties, but they do look completely obscene. How do they do that? Wait… how did you find those naughty plants? (I just offended my co-worker. I don’t know if there will be repercussions or not, but prudish Janice heard me laugh and came over to see what I was looking at. It was the hairy balls plant. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and informed me that “There is something wrong with you.” but I don’t know how she knows that. Besides, she has absolutely zero reference material to compare that plant to- so I don’t think she has a valid complaint.) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/195 "2007-03-22T14:14:19Z")
[QUOTE=Beaucarnea] Hey! I like those hairy balls! And the titty fruit don’t look anything like titties, but they do look completely obscene. How do they do that? Wait… how did you find those naughty plants? [/quote] T&M just sent me a seed catalog (about the third one so far this year) featuring the “hairy balls” plant. I think “titty fruit” has been in the J.L. Hudson seed catalog for awhile. You should definitely grow both. Just don’t further scandalize your co-worker by inviting her over to see your garden. She might inadvertently witness pollination. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/196 "2007-03-22T14:29:22Z")
[QUOTE=Beaucarnea] the titty fruit don’t look anything like titties [/QUOTE] Neither do the Grand Tetons, but presumably these things were named by guys who hadn’t gotten any in a while and were seeing sex in every raindrop and grasshopper leg. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/197 "2007-03-22T15:27:34Z")
_sigh_ Once in a while, I’m reminded that I’m such a girl. Here’s a complete transcript of my thoughts while reading and clicking on the links in **Beaucarnea** ’s post: [QUOTE=Beaucarnea] Look what I found! A hideous, disgusting, sneaky, filthy leech. In my backyard. Hiding under a rock. Waiting. I thought they were small- when I see leeches on the Discovery Channel they look like bloated commas. This one is gigantic. How did I get so lucky? [/quote] EEW! EEW! Leeches! Stand By Me. Leeches on balls. Eewickyuck. > [@](#): > > I haaaaaate parasites of all kinds, so I decided to try some aversion therapy. I picked it up. Carried it into the house while screeching like a little girl. Dropped the [leech in a plate](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beaucarnea13/detail?.dir=/7828re2&.dnm=c325re2.jpg&.src=ph), and took these pictures. Gack! Spew! Grossnastyyuck! > [@](#): > > It looked dry, so I put [water on it](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beaucarnea13/detail?.dir=/7828re2&.dnm=5609re2.jpg&.src=ph). _shudder_ Well, that seems to have subdued it a bit. At least the camera’s further away. Blech. Leeches. Ick. > [@](#): > > And it [quadrupled in size](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beaucarnea13/detail?.dir=/7828re2&.dnm=bddcre2.jpg&.src=ph) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! > [@](#): > > and tried to come after me. I screamed until I was hoarse, You and me both, sister. > [@](#): > > then remembered the aversion therapy. [So I poked it.](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beaucarnea13/detail?.dir=/7828re2&.dnm=ea4ere2.jpg&.src=ph) Eww! Eww! It’s getting away! Ohmigod it’s going to kill us a – Hey! She’s got great nails! I wonder if she does them herself or if she gets manicures. Are they real or acrylic? They look real, but strong. Lucky. They hold a great shape, and they’re the perfect length - not ghoulishly long, but very feminine. Oh, right. Leech. AAAAAAAAAAAA!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Beaucarnea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@Beaucarnea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beaucarnea)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/198 "2007-03-22T15:58:56Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] _sigh_ Once in a while, I’m reminded that I’m such a girl. Here’s a complete transcript of my thoughts while reading and clicking on the links in **Beaucarnea** ’s post: EEW! EEW! Leeches! Stand By Me. Leeches on balls. Eewickyuck. Gack! Spew! Grossnastyyuck! _shudder_ Well, that seems to have subdued it a bit. At least the camera’s further away. Blech. Leeches. Ick. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! You and me both, sister. Eww! Eww! It’s getting away! Ohmigod it’s going to kill us a – Hey! She’s got great nails! I wonder if she does them herself or if she gets manicures. Are they real or acrylic? They look real, but strong. Lucky. They hold a great shape, and they’re the perfect length - not ghoulishly long, but very feminine. Oh, right. Leech. AAAAAAAAAAAA!!! 😃 [/QUOTE] Ha ha ha- you nailed it. Exactly what it feels like to be a girl who likes to wear a dress but also dig holes who likes to paint her toes but picks up frogs who likes to have soft hair but look under rocks who likes to wear lipstick but also ride a motorcycle who likes to wear sexy undies and can double clutch like Steve McQueen who likes to hear compliments but wants you to be quiet during action sequences. (Nails are natural, but you can’t see the rest of the Amazon girl who is huuuuge and not some tiny petite little thing. Nearly 6 feet tall and thin not curvy. At least I got pretty nails. Keeps the fellas from running when I show them my leeches.) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/199 "2007-03-27T00:19:41Z")
I started to watch this video of a [baby sloth](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kTkOgHO4pA&NR), and had to stop. It’s unbearably creepy. Your mind ought not summon up memories of the weird little “kids” in Apex Twin’s [Come To Daddy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Az_7U0-cK0) video while viewing a baby animal, but it does. it does! ---
**Author:** ![2pelo\_honey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/ecb155/32.png) [@2pelo\_honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2pelo_honey)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612/200 "2007-03-27T01:12:15Z")
[QUOTE=Tupug Anachi] [Lotus seed pods](http://www.flickr.com/photos/petrichor/86300181/) ever since I saw the “breast rash” thing at Snopes. UNGHHH!! [/QUOTE] Oh, god, that grossed me out beyond belief…shudddddddddddder… :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-nature-grosses-you-out/395612.md?page=11)