Holey Moley: 40+ Pictures That Belong In The Dictionary Entry For “Trypophobia”
Phobias have existed for as long as humans have, and as society has evolved, so have our fears — we doubt that coulrophobia (the fear of clowns) existed in the 5th century. One phobia that has gained notoriety in recent years is trypophobia, the “extreme or irrational aversion to or fear of clusters of small holes or bumps.”
This may be a non-issue for most people, but others seriously suffer from it. The sight of holes and bumps is enough to trigger panic or discomfort. According to estimates, about 16% of people worldwide suffer from it. We advise you to look away right now if you are a part of this percentile because this list is the stuff nightmares are made of.
A cherry pie we’d rather not eat
First off, we’d just like to say that she is one wife with a wicked sense of humor, or she is just downright cruel. Why would you bake a pie like this if you are aware that your husband has trypophobia?
This isn’t a very nice practical joke to play on anyone, especially your husband. This is something that can legitimately trigger the filing of divorce papers in court. Yes, we love cherry pie, but this is one pie we’d rather stay away from.
A Jack-o-Lantern for people with trypophobia
Halloween is the time when people dress up and pretend to be someone else, be it a real person or a make-believe one. It is also the time to go all out on the decorations and scare every passerby. However, it’s not the time to play mean with people who fear seeing groups of small holes.
This man’s wife has a mother and sister who suffer from trypophobia, and instead of your usual Jack-O-Lantern, she decided to put in the extra effort to make one that’s surely going to give them nightmares. They cried when they saw it so she can consider this project a success.
This is bee-autiful
We are always fascinated by beekeeping because bees are significant to the ecosystem, as small as they may be. Without them, how would we be able to enjoy our favorite sweetener? There’s a debate between beekeepers nowadays that revolves around the foundation or foundationless beekeeping.
This beekeeper accidentally forgot to put the frame back in the hive, so the bees ended up having the liberty to build their structure the way they wanted. People refer to this as foundationless beekeeping, but we’re more fascinated with the shapes the little fellows created.
Beehive in the wild
Speaking of bees and beehives, this one grew in the wild, and it’s just gorgeous. We don’t always see wild beehives, but when we do, we are always amazed. However, some people might be disgusted by its appearance, especially with the multiple holes.
When we see this photo, we can only imagine the taste of the wild honey. Surely, it’s going to taste a lot better than the type of honey you can find in a jar in the grocery store. We reckon that wild honey also costs more than the type that comes from bees kept on a farm.
A toad that gives birth to young on its back
Toads may not be the most beautiful-looking animal out there, but they are a prominent figure in Chinese fairy tales and folklore, where they are a popular symbol of prosperity and wealth. In real life, though, a lot of people are frightened by the sight of toads.
If the toad looked like this and is this big, we’d probably be alarmed too. This Suriname toad gives birth to its young through the holes on its back. This is gross, and we don’t want to come across one ever.
We should remember not to leave things in the microwave
How many times have you heated food in the microwave only to completely forget about it for a couple of hours? This has happened repeatedly to many people, especially those busy with work or those who are just plain forgetful.
This photo should serve as a reminder never to forget food in the microwave. This used to be baked beans. However, it’s been forgotten in the microwave for a few days that it ended up looking like something out of this world.
Don’t ever do this to a coconut
One of the tropical fruits people can’t get enough of are coconuts. Every time they find themselves by the beach on tropical islands, it is a must to get some fresh coconuts. The soft coconut meat and juice are delicious.
However, we don’t recommend doing this to your coconut because it just makes it look disgusting. Visually, it might seem creative, but for some reason, it makes the coconut look less appealing and less delicious. It’s a waste of a delicious coconut.
The Jabuticaba tree
This is the first time we have heard and seen such a tree. The Jabuticaba is also known as the Brazilian grape tree, and just like grapes, there are many varieties of the tree, but the most common is the one you see in the photo, known as Red Jabuticaba.
Yup, we know it looks more like violet, but they like to call it Red Jabuticaba, and rumor has it that it tastes like blueberry yogurt. It might trigger trypophobia in some people, but how they describe the flavor makes us want to get our hands on it.
We have never heard of this kind of berries before
The pineberry is a low-growing plant, just like the fruit that it resembles, the strawberry. They look like the bigger and whiter cousins of the strawberry, but people say they taste more like pineapples. But, it’s not a cross between those two fruits.
The first time you see this fruit, you might ask yourself what went wrong with it. Well, there’s nothing wrong with it. Its pale shade helps protect it from birds that are more attracted to the strawberries’ bright red color.
Acorns that will scare you to death
One of the staples in a woodpecker’s diet is the acorn. The woodpecker likes to store nuts in holes that are individually drilled in trees called granaries. If you would like to see what that looks like, just check out the photo below.
It’s a photo that is enough to induce nightmares. It looks fascinating and frightening at the same time. But, we do have to admire that this woodpecker has a pretty substantial stash. We’re quite sure it will never have to worry about starving.
Barnacles or monsters?
Although they look a bit like mollusks, barnacles are entirely different creatures. They secrete a substance similar to glue that allows them to attach themselves to things. They pretty much stick to each other and anything they come into contact with.
Suppose you need further proof of that, just like in the photo above. At first glance, you’d think that it’s the mouth of a monster or the mouth of a lamprey, but it isn’t. It’s just a pipe full of barnacles. Either way, it’s something we don’t want to see before going to sleep.
Keep this “toy” away from children
We wouldn’t call this a toy because it’s something that we won’t allow to get anywhere near children. It looks horrifying, and we’re quite sure children will end up with nightmares when they see it. Who would design such a thing?
Elephants only have two eyes, so we don’t know why anyone would come up with a stuffed elephant with plenty of eyes. Perhaps this is a cross between an elephant and a spider. Is anyone ok with the idea of a Spiderphant?
A colorful ceiling in Iran
This is something fascinating and quite disturbing at the same time. Iran has some of the most splendid buildings in the world, and if you have seen their mosques, whether in person or in pictures, you’ll understand what we mean.
This tomb ceiling is the perfect example of Iran’s magnificent architecture, but anyone with trypophobia can easily be triggered by it. It can make your skin crawl, but if you don’t fear groups of small holes, it might just lead you down the path of architectural or historical studies.
We’ve never seen this mushroom before
There are approximately 14,000 mushroom species all over the world, and one of them just happens to have plenty of holes in them, and it is called the Beech Orange Mushroom. Most people admitted that upon seeing it for the first time, they thought they were nature’s version of well. You can figure it out.
This parasitic but edible mushroom is native to New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and Australia. It is said to have sweet nectar inside the pants without holes. People who have cooked and eaten the mushroom say that it is sweet and crunchy.
We don’t want this kind of pancake
People all over the world enjoy pancakes. We love it so much that we have even dedicated an entire day for its enjoyment. For those of you not in the know, February 16th is National Pancake Day. It’s a breakfast staple made from eggs, butter, sugar, baking powder, flour, and milk.
However, this isn’t how we imagine our pancakes to look. It doesn’t look appetizing, and if we were served this, we might just skip breakfast altogether. It looks like it’s going to give us a serious case of stomach problems.
Don’t get your dad a grow your own mushroom kit
One of the things that lockdown led us to is a demand for a grow your own mushroom kit. There are plenty of companies that are into this business. There are many different brands available, as well as a wide variety of mushrooms to grow.
Do your research before you dive in. This lady got her dad a kit for his birthday, and after a few days, her dad sent her a progress pic. He was mighty proud of how his mushrooms looked, but others would squirm at the sight of this.
We don’t want to see this on our porch
This is what real nightmares are made of because it combines two phobias, trypophobia and arachnophobia. Why do we say that? Because what you’re seeing is a weird spider’s nest on someone’s porch. There are not many things more freaky than this. Just our opinion.
Pest control needs to be called for this, or you can just leave the house and move to a new one if you can afford it. Imagine all those small critters coming out of those eggs and wreaking havoc on your home. We just can’t deal with that.
A hornet’s nest
Hornets are larger than wasps, although they come from the same family. They come in various colors, and their sting can carry five times the amount of poison compared to wasps. Another thing that makes them deadlier is that they tend to attack in large groups.
Not only are they dangerous, but their nest also looks frightening, especially for people who have trypophobia. Look at all those holes! They usually build their nests inside attics, trees, on branches, and under the roofs. Their nests are made of saliva mixed with chewed wood.
Want some octopus burger?
Chicken, beef, and pork are some of the usual meats you’ll find between two burger buns. However, there have been a few innovations over the years and nowadays. People are quite used to seeing seafood between two buns. One of the weirdest may be the octopus.
Yup, you heard that right. It’s high time you try the octopus burger. However, we recommend that you don’t stare at the picture for too long because it might just deter you from trying out this new burger fad. Yup, it doesn’t look stunning, but they say it tastes good.
This looks like it belongs to Bootstrap Bill Turner
This lamp looks like it belongs to Bootstrap Bill Turner, you know the guy with the face where barnacles, seashells, and various other things grew because he’s been underwater for so long? If you’re a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, you’d know who we’re talking about.
Anyway, aside from those unsightly holes, one more thing we don’t like about it is that it’s going to be difficult to clean. How are you going to wipe all those shells? We have one tip for you; stay away from decorations like this.
Crocs or Brocs?
Originally developed as a boating shoe, the first model of Crocs was unveiled in 2001 in Florida, and at that time, the 200 pairs produced sold out immediately. Since then, the company has sold over 300 million pairs of shoes.
To say that Crocs is successful is an understatement. However, what you see in the photo is not the type of Crocs we envisioned. It has been left so long on the beach that barnacles have decided to make it their home.
A frightening wasp nest
One of the things people dislike most is wasps. Most people don’t know this, but wasps make nests from paper. They chew the strips of bark and spit it out again. Wasps make nests in different places such as basements or cool and dark places.
What you see in the photo is a wasp nest made in a Pyrex bowl. We don’t know how this happened in the first place because isn’t your Pyrex supposed to be used in the kitchen when you serve or prepare food?
Pull apart pigs in a blanket
One of our favorite finger foods is pigs in a blanket. It’s easy and quick to prepare, and a lot of people love it. The first time pigs in a blanket were introduced was in 1957, and April 24th is considered National Pigs in a Blanket Day.
Pigs in a blanket are individually wrapped pork hot dogs wrapped in a blanket of dough. What you see in the photo is not the pigs in a blanket we are used to seeing. They were baked as pull apart pigs in a blanket, and it’s bothering us.
Cream poured over freshly picked blackberries
We love blackberries because they are rich in Vitamin C and bioflavonoids, just like grapes, plums, and raisins. A cup of blackberries only has 62 calories, so if you’re looking to cut back and not gain weight, they’re a winner for a snack.
We didn’t think, however, that would induce serious trypophobia in people because to us, it’s an innocent-looking fruit. This lady poured some cream on freshly picked blackberries, but the result is something we didn’t expect, and we really don’t want to see it again.
Another tree used by woodpeckers for food storage
We always find trees frequented by woodpeckers to be a little gross. They have many holes, and although we know it’s meant for acorns, we can’t help but imagine other creepy things that might come out of those holes.
Woodpeckers have an important role in the ecosystem because they provide nesting for other parts of the ecosystem and roosting habitats for various fauna, including mammals, birds, insects, amphibians, and reptiles. We just wonder how the trees for acorns feel about that.
We’ll never look at sourdough the same way again
People who bake are familiar with sourdough. It has a distinct chewy texture and tangy flavor. Unlike other types of bread, it does not need commercial yeast for it to rise because it uses live fermented culture, which acts as a leavening agent.
Compared to loaves you see in the supermarket, it is superior when it comes to health and nutrition. It’s more digestible for the body, and it tastes a lot better if you ask us. Just don’t look at the sourdough starter, or it might turn you off.
We don’t want this pot
We are a fan of growing plants at home or in our tiny apartments, and we are happy to see a lot of people recognizing their green thumbs over the past 2 years. However, this is one pot we don’t want to gift to anyone who loves to plant.
Why? Because it is not welcome in everyone’s home. All those holes might just give people anxiety attacks or nightmares. Or maybe both. We don’t want our friends to end up in the offices of counselors and therapists because of this pot.
All eyes on you
If you feel like plenty of eyes are looking at you, it’s probably true if you have these plants in your home or your garden. This is the first time we have seen this kind of plant, and we have only one thing to say, it’s weird!
These button plants look like creepy bloodshot eyes. If you’re curious to know, this is Conophytum Witterbergens. It’s a small and stemless succulent that can reach a height of up to 1.2 inches. If you want to get back at someone who has trypophobia, this will make a great gift.
This is enough to make our skin crawl
We never thought that ladybugs could make our skin crawl, but this sight does. They may be known as bugs, but they are not bugs at all. They are beetles. In North America alone, there are 400 different kinds of ladybugs.
They smell with their antennae and feet. Individually, they look harmless and even beautiful. However, we don’t want to come across a group of ladybugs like this one because it looks alarming. Are they planning an invasion or something?
Refrain from taking a closer look at your bread
What you see in the photo is bread, and it’s known as injera bread. It is a flatbread that is sour and fermented, and it has a spongy texture. Traditionally made of teff flour, it is a staple in Djibouti, Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine.
It is super nutritious and healthy because injera is a super grain that is filled with calcium, iron, fiber, magnesium, and proteins. It might not score high on the looks department, but it’s something worth trying if you want a healthier alternative.
The sculpture of many holes
This statue has got the worst case of armpit sweat we have ever seen. Has it been running all morning long? Seriously though, we think that this sculpture is cool, and the only thing we see wrong with it is the many holes.
This sculpture is by Chad Knight, and if you Google his name, you will see that he has plenty of wonderful artistic creations. The man sure is talented, and we are looking forward to seeing more of his creations.
Another stunning artistic work
Speaking of artistic work, here is another creation that deserves an audience. We applaud the creator of this work, but we don’t think people with trypophobia would do the same. Looking at it makes us think of Pirates of the Caribbean.
This is another creation that reminds us of Bootstrap Bill Turner. We can hear him whisper in our ears, “Part of the crew, Part of the Ship.” It seems like there’s nowhere to go for this sculpture but back to the Black Pearl.
The combination of limestone and skull
Nature has always been fascinating. Just when we think it can’t impress us even more, it shows us more wonderful things, and one of them is this skull that has been enveloped in limestone. From the looks of it, you can tell that it’s ancient.
This has been named “Altamura man.” It was discovered in October 1993 in a cave of the same name in Apulia, Italy. Limestone contains the remains of dead organisms, and that is why it is considered a sedimentary rock. Well, that’s one dead organism right there.
Another interesting mushroom
We have already seen at least one mushroom on this list, and here we are adding one more. Mushrooms are just interesting by themselves. Don’t let their appearance fool you, though, as a few of them can be quite deadly.
Mushrooms come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, but it makes good sense to avoid mushrooms with a red cap or steam because there’s a big chance they could be poisonous. Mushrooms with white gills or a ring on the stem can also be deadly. We can’t tell if the mushroom in this photo is deadly, but it’s best to avoid eating it altogether.
The cursed candy corn pumpkin
It may be called candy corn, but it’s neither corn nor candy. According to the National Confectioners Association, approximately 9 billion kernels of candy corn are sold every year. Just like a snowflake, each candy corn has a unique shape.
We never thought of candy corn as something that can scare people, but we are convinced after looking at this photo. This one will make a good Halloween decoration if you want to scare neighborhood children or adults with trypophobia.
No, thank you, we don’t want this baby
Babies are supposed to be cute, and when you notice adults around babies, they just seem to melt at the sight of these little fellows. However, this is a baby that we don’t want anywhere near us. We don’t even want to look at it.
This baby looks like it belongs in horror movies. It could certainly give Chuckie or Bram a run for their money. If you’re going to spend time, money, and effort on a crochet project, please, people, make sure that it’s not going to give people a heart attack.
Stay away from this creature
If you have watched a handful of horror movies, you know it’s not a good idea to go near any unidentified objects that drip any liquid. Remember Alien and The Body Snatchers? If you want to survive, get away from these things.
This creature, if you would call it that, was found in a forest in Sweden. Somebody said it’s hard to the touch, but it drips liquid when knocked. That description alone makes us want to get away from it even more.
The horror of this!
Hard water is water that is abundant in minerals such as copper, brass, and calcium. These are elements absorbed by water as it travels through soil. The excess minerals can have adverse effects on your plumbing system and result in a large buildup of scale.
If you want to know how that looks like, just check the photo above. What you see are calcium deposits that result in a need to replace the water faucet. It looks like snow with plenty of spider eyes underneath.
That’s one big sunflower
Each sunflower contains thousands of seeds, and they all develop in the middle of the flower, which is called the ovary. Not only are the seeds used to grow more sunflowers, but they are also used as food, not only for humans but for birds too.
However, we don’t think we’d like to have any of the seeds of this gigantic sunflower. It looks alien-like, and it makes us feel as if something dangerous is going to crawl out anytime now. It may be a waste, but we’d rather throw it straight into the bin.
Basil seeds in water
We’re not going to lie to you. At first, we thought this was a glass of chia seeds, but it turns out these are basil seeds soaked in water. It looks like the man who did this put too many basil seeds in water. Basil seeds have plenty of benefits, and that’s why people eat them.
Eerily, they also look like frog eggs, and that sight is going to put a lot of people off. Well, the good news is there are plenty of other healthy options if basil seeds soaked in water don’t look attractive to you.
Keep away from the table
If you have trypophobia, stay away from the lobby of this hotel. The person who did the interior design might have thought that this decorative table is stylish, but others don’t agree with them. They would rather wait outside than wait in the lobby where this table is located.
All those closely grouped holes are making their skin crawl. It seems like worms and other creepy creatures are going to crawl out of the holes shortly. It falls into a new category of furniture; the furniture of nightmares.
This seashell doesn’t look particularly scary
Most of the pictures on this list are gross and weird, but we don’t find this one particularly scary. We actually love it, and we think that it would make an excellent piece of jewelry. We like how the huge seashell has become a home for smaller seashells.
This was found on the beach, and some would like to think that it’s a hermit crab’s rock collection, although it’s most likely not. People on the Internet say that the sight of those little stones makes them want to get a tweezer and pick each one out.
What happened to the doggo?
Is the doggo ok? That’s the first thought that came to our head after looking at the canine’s legs because it looked like something sinister was growing on them. It looks like alien creatures have attached their eggs to the dog’s legs.
Who’s to tell what might come out of those eggs? Thankfully those are not eggs but snow attaching itself on the dog after it took a walk in the snow. We’re just happy that the doggo is safe from whatever might be out there.
A tick and its eggs
One of the most disgusting creatures on the planet is ticks. These tiny, real-life vampires suck the blood out of humans and animals. Commonly found in wooded areas and tall grass, they spread dangerous diseases such as spotted fever and Lymes disease.
Imagine these little creatures going up and down your body and sucking the blood out of you. If you’re not disgusted yet, just look at the photo above. That is a tick that has been stored in a sealed container that laid eggs after a few months. Yuck!
No need to do this to your pizza dough
Pizza is yummy and can be ordered at most restaurants and fast-food chains. You can also purchase ready-to-bake pizzas in supermarkets. Toppings can vary, and some of the most common are veggies, cheese, and meat and can be customized based on your preference.
You might be curious about how pizza is made, but we advise you not to get this curious because you might just discover something you’d rather forget altogether. Just look at the holes on that pizza dough! However, the dirt on those nails is more alarming for us.