Nyctohylophobia

Nyctohylophobia is the fear of dark wooded areas or of forests at night. Nyctohylophobia is rather widespread as forests are usually considered one of the most dangerous places to be at night.

The phobia primarily stems from our ancestral past, as our ancestors were in great danger while camping in forests during the night, since many predators were (and still are) nocturnal, before the discovery of fire. Moreover, the dark environment, which remains very dark even during a full moon with a clear sky due to the thick cover provided by branches, is generally enough to trigger the phobia. As such, the fear of forests at night is usually associated with noctiphobia, the fear of the night itself. Also, the phobia might stem from superstitious beliefs, though it is usually associated with the fear of forests in general.