Dreams about insects – what do they mean? (dream interpretation insects)

Dream interpretation insects or bugs. Dreaming about creepy-crawlies is not uncommon, but what does it actually mean? It can be several things.

NOTE: Corona-update (April 2020) – the corona pandemic has resulted in a huge increase in dreams about bugs/insects attacking / crawling all over the body (as shown in preliminary corona pandemic dream research). In this image these dreams might simply symbolize our reaction (deep down) to the pandemic.

Mostly our fear/anxiety in relation to the virus – that then might show that we are more afraid/anxious than we maybe think we are.

Other angles on insect dreams / dreams about bugs:

Negative feelings that haunt you. Dreaming about insects or bugs – especially in large numbers – is often a symbol of negative thoughts or feelings (guilt, anxiety) that haunt you or, more metaphorically, crawls through your unconscious mind. You might ask yourself: what is it I am trying to push away or will not face?

Is it an old habit or previous experience that I am trying to avoid confronting and which is now popping up? If previous bad experiences lurk in the unconscious mind, one thing is certain: they influence – often in a negative manner – the way you think and act when you are awake.

This can for example be about low self-esteem because of the bad experience or a significant unconscious feeling of envy that may ruin your relationships with others.
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When trying to understand your dreams it is important to know that your dreams are… your dreams. As such, you are the best person to figure out the true meaning of your dreams.

However, it is important to learn how to generally approach your dreams. Dream dictionaries like this one are only a supplement, and if you want to fully utilize the potential of your dreams, you should start at a different place.

My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” gives you a great foundation for understanding (and recalling) your dreams.
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Not being in touch with your instincts. However, it can also be about a fundamental instinctive part of yourself that you are not utilizing. In other words, you can be too “in your head” (too rational or logical), and a dream about loads of insects can in this way be a strong indication to change your approach to life and the challenges you might encounter.

Try noticing how you feel instead of overthinking things.

The individual insects can also be significant. An ant can symbolize a more group based and organized approach to life – a lone ant can therefore mean isolation. Do you have to ask for help and bring others into the solution to your challenges, or do you have to find your inner organizer?

The group mentality also applies to bees, but a bee that stings you can mean that someone or something has “stung you” – have you recently been hurt by others (external interpretation), or has a sudden inner impulse/feeling left negative traces (internal interpretation)? A significant theme in the world of dreams is spiders – see the blog post about Spiders.

Caterpillars, cocoons and butterflies are often signs of something growing into something bigger and better – a process of maturing, in other words. What inside of you is right now a caterpillar that one day could become a big, beautiful butterfly?

Worms – depending on the species – often feed on decaying things, and a dream where worms appear might be a symbol of something within you rotting or decaying. This can be a positive thing (destructive thoughts and patterns that have died), but it can also be a strong and positive, but unused aspect of yourself, and if you are not careful, this aspect might be lost.

Worms, however, can also symbolize something you feel threatened by, maybe a weakness or negativism.

If you are dreaming about ringworm, this might mean you have to take better care of your body (it will rarely mean that you actually have ringworm).

Dream dictionaries are a very helpful tool when interpreting dreams. However, generally learning how to approach your dreams, will give you a better foundation for understanding them. My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” teaches you how to much better utilize – recall and understand – your dreams.

Also read: Why I no longer interpret dreams for free

Return to the index of dream themes and symbols:

Dream interpretation A-Z  ↵

NOTE: Dream interpretation is not always an easy skill, and when you dream about insects, it is almost certainly about something different for you than it is for someone else dreaming about insects. It is crucial that you feel the interpretation fits you, but it might be the case that the above interpretations do not suit you and your situation.