This week, at various intervals, I have become withdrawn, irrational and emotional. I have screamed as in a horror movie. No, not because my PCR didn't work. Because of wasps in the lab.

It may seem surprising to some, but despite doing a degree in biology, I am petrified of insects. As an undergraduate I remember getting my twin sister (who studied English) to tape over the pictures of insects in my textbooks. Open windows in summer exams scared me more than the questions did.

Having tried very hard, I have learnt to hide my fear. In lectures with Drosophila pictures I just dip my head, or lower my glasses so I can't focus. Walking down the fly-geneticists' corridor in the zoology department I make sure not to catch a glimpse of the posters. It's the eyes and legs that really scare me.

This week in Oxford the sky is blue, the grass is green and my colleagues have discovered my fear. In reaction to this they did not agree to close all the windows. Nor did they swear to swat all the wee beasties. Instead they put a picture of a wasp on my computer desktop, and then sent me a photo titled 'Interesting fern mutant' showing the magnified head of a fly.

So this week I have learnt to try to overcome my fears, to raise my problems with my lab colleagues, and to persevere with something I don't like — all skills that would be handy in a PhD. Now I am planning my revenge...