Pretty much anything in media from the first drawings to MLP are warped versions of the real life things...
While it is an instinct you should try getting closer to simpler insects such as Ants or Spiders and hold one for a while until your subconscious realizes that there's nothing to be afraid of, another less preferable option is to go out and kill lots of them until you understand how they are harmless. Both of these sound like afirly easy things to understand but to a primitive brain it is hard to process!