My biggest announcement ever! It is with a heavy heart that I am informing everyone of my impending retirement as “The Bug Lady”. I have been running my business for approximately 45 years so it has been pretty good J Things change over the years, I was one of the only bug dealers in the early days and possibly the only woman but these days, every man and his dog is selling tarantulas and “proper bugs” seem to have fallen out of favour. I have been cutting down on stock for some time and had hoped to keep going without the tarantulas but it hasn’t worked out.
I expect to fully retire by the end of this year but a lot depends on my wonderful customers (you!) as I need to sell off a large number of little creatures. I still have 24 species of tarantula (multiple numbers of most), millipedes, cockroaches, isopods, scorpions, slugs etc. Do take a look on my website, once they are gone, they are gone! If you want to help me, please spread the word to all your bug mad friends. I have lots of reductions appearing on the website. One of my downfalls has been that I am pretty rubbish with social media, I have never found the time and if I’m honest I don’t have the inclination either!
What am I going to do with all my extra time? I am going to enjoy it!! (write my autobiography?) I relish the idea of being less stressed, less busy and certainly less responsible for everything. My business has obviously kept going and been successful for so many years because of my determination. I always push myself, anxiety is my middle name, I’m clearly a perfectionist and it has served me well. I only need to read the super and heart-warming reviews on Trust Pilot to know that I am appreciated and well respected, which means a lot to me but as I get older the constant pressure has become less fun. I really don’t have any backup and as I have aged, the constant “what if I was incapacitated” thoughts have stressed me out. I honestly have no kindred spirits in my family, absolutely nobody knows how to care for my bugs or has ever wished to learn. It’s mum’s/Ginny’s bug room and there is no interest in my creatures from any of them.
I won’t be giving up on my lifelong love of bugs. I have a wildlife garden with a couple of ponds and I will be able to spend a lot more time tending everything. This year the buddleia bushes are covered in butterflies and I hope to take up bee keeping next spring. I have some damn ugly plants in my garden but they are food for moth larvae or attract bugs so they have to stay J I will be continuing my longtime hobby of entering competitions and will be trying to win an exotic holiday or two. It would be great to get out and see amazing bugs in their natural habitat. No pressure to keep them, just to watch and photograph, bliss. It isn’t so easy to win competitions these days but I have won some fantastic prizes over the years and visited some wonderful places. We are also hoping to go back to Costa Rica for our very big wedding anniversary in 2027, 27 is my lucky number, perhaps I could win some holiday vouchers J
I’m now enjoying the summer holidays and going out and about with my gorgeous grandsons so I won’t be pushing anything that much until September when I will try in earnest to encourage/force/guilt trip you all, into helping me retire!
Good luck with your future endeavours, you need to do what you think is right you will be missed.
ReplyDeleteHaving come across you in around the early 00's. I will certainly miss seeing the occassional update from the "bug lady". A cornerstone of responciable invertebrate keeping.
ReplyDeleteMay you have a throughly enjoyable retirement.
Best wishes
Lee
Oh I’m so sad. I just found you! Wish you well in all that you do.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the bugs!
Dear Virginia
ReplyDeleteHave a really wonderful retirement. I have followed you for I don't know how long, and bought bugs from you in the past. Now too old for all that bramble finding. I do hope you will keep your blog going, so that we can still follow your adventures.
Good luck and all best wishes
Vivien
My son has Asperger’s syndrome and has always had an interest in entomology. When he was a child he often received presents I had bought from you including praying mantids, land hermit crabs and fruit beetles. He’s 34 now and still loves rearing hawkmoth caterpillars and in May and June he goes out at dusk rescuing stag beetles from the road! Wishing you a long, healthy and happy retirement.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a lovely, relaxing retirement. I am gutted for us buyers as I have had quite a few amazing species off you over the years, and for these I thank you. I wish you many more years of happiness with your family x
ReplyDeleteAll the very best in your retirement
ReplyDeleteAnd all the great mantises purchased from you
over the years