Are people more afraid of stuff than they used to be?

No, not more afraid, just more vocal about it.

I have known lots of people that get freaked out about bugs, but they never had a way to communicate it to a large audience before the internet. Now they have a means to announce it along with an audience.

But in the days before heating and air, bugs were much more a part of the world. Did people freak out back then?
One year I had a family get together at the lake and invited a very fastidious friend (her husband was Rick’s best friend.) My son gave their 2 year old a half an ear of corn and the baby alternated between eating it and playing with it. He’d roll it around in the grass and the dirt then take a bite. My fastidious friend was horrified! She could not stop talking about it for weeks after that.
The other day she freaked out when I filled my ice cup with water from her hose, outside of the barn. She kept yelling about how nasty the well water was. It tasted perfectly fine to me. I swear, I thought she was going to rip the cup out of my hand and refill it with filtered water from the house (which doesn’t taste any different than the well water.)

Bugs?
Some folks have no idea what fear is but they act like they do
I confess I have no patience for that sort of trivial bullshit
Sorry
Maybe I’m just getting grumpy as I approach middle age

I wouldn’t be terrified of bugs and mosquitoes it’s all part of the camping experience. There’s no harm in being aware of the problem though. Insects can be a nuisance and there are ways to prepare for and minimise the annoyance. They can also carry disease, it’s as well to be aware of that possibility too unlikely though it may be.