Virginia Cheeseman

Virginia Cheeseman Now retired (October 2025), I was the original 'Bug Lady', breeding and supplying many types of creepy crawly pets for over 40 years. (my USP? I do not lie!)

I am the original 'Bug Lady', breeding and supplying many types of creepy crawly pets. My little home business has now been going for over 30 years, in the last couple of years I have found myself being called the ‘Spider Lady’ more often than not. Trends are continually changing and arachnids are far more popular than they have ever been before. I have a bug room at the side of our house that is

dedicated to keeping a multitude of creatures. Since moving out of London in 2003, my work is mainly postal but I do welcome visitors by appointment. It took me some time to actually reach the 21st century and see the potential of customers ordering online. I am now fully convinced, business has increased tremendously since setting up my first online store in 2009. In October 2012 my current online store went live, the photographs are larger and clearer, the information is more comprehensive and the online ordering is simpler and therefore easier to use. I am still readily accessible by email and telephone and I strive to maintain my position as the most friendly and reliable bug supplier!

November blog post is now live virginiacheeseman.co.uk My husband bought me a present yesterday 😂 We are at the pre deco...
21/11/2025

November blog post is now live virginiacheeseman.co.uk

My husband bought me a present yesterday 😂
We are at the pre decorating stage. On track to have my new room sorted by Christmas 🥰

Four weeks since I retired, it still feels very odd but we had a nice weekend away, with no worrying about the bugs or M...
17/11/2025

Four weeks since I retired, it still feels very odd but we had a nice weekend away, with no worrying about the bugs or Monday morning posting 😄 We looked around Ikea and I was immediately drawn to the wonderful display of plastic boxes, or “spider houses” as I call them. So strange to not need them anymore and as for throwing away bits of fruit and vegetables, honestly don’t get me started 😂 I don’t like wasting any food and I have always had something that feeds on fruit and vegetables!

I will be writing another blog post this week. The new blog is being read by many, so I will keep it going for as long as that continues 😁

Two weeks today since my bugs went to their new home and I am getting a little more used to it but it’s still painful cl...
31/10/2025

Two weeks today since my bugs went to their new home and I am getting a little more used to it but it’s still painful clearing out all my “stuff”. I really want my old bug room to be decorated and homely before Christmas but there’s a lot of work to do still!

Happy Halloween everyone 👻🦇🎃🦂🕷️💜🧡

My little helper really enjoyed pumpkin carving yesterday (no he didn’t do it on his own 😂) and the last picture is of days gone by. It was for a competition that I sadly didn’t win but it was fun 😄

What have I been doing with my time since retiring?Rushing around as usual but with much less pressure. I have written a...
27/10/2025

What have I been doing with my time since retiring?
Rushing around as usual but with much less pressure. I have written a blog post this morning, please take a look www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk. It’s about what I’m doing now, what I may be doing in the future and how I would like to stay in touch with everyone! 😁

Happy Halloween this week 🦇🦂🎃🕷️💜

It’s been a few days now and I’m not quite so lost and downright miserable. I’m busy sorting all the old equipment out. ...
22/10/2025

It’s been a few days now and I’m not quite so lost and downright miserable. I’m busy sorting all the old equipment out. I had no idea how many heat mats and extension leads I had in the bug room! I love this card from a good friend of mine, it’s true 😁. Mondays were my busiest day and I was often tearing my hair out trying to get all the orders off and sort everything out after the weekend.

I’m still getting to grips with my new blog, please do take a look, I will write another post next week. It’s Halloween and I love it! 🎃🕷️🦂🐀🦇👻

I know it had to happen but there were many tears this morning! My remaining bugs have all gone to Connor Nolan. I first...
17/10/2025

I know it had to happen but there were many tears this morning! My remaining bugs have all gone to Connor Nolan. I first heard from this young guy a few weeks ago, when he sent me an email. I then met him last week and feel pleased that he now has my collection of cockroaches, millipedes, isopods and lots more. He impressed me with his clear communication and willingness to follow my instructions on the closure of my bug room.

The website too will be closing shortly but do keep an eye on www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk as my new blog will take its place. You know I’m not the best with technology but my aim is to stay in touch with everyone who wants to stay in touch with me.

Enough said for now, I’m off to eat a packet of jelly babies to make me feel a bit better 😢

What lovely, lovely messages on my last post. I’m going to miss you all too 😢It’s going to be a busy weekend! My long su...
11/10/2025

What lovely, lovely messages on my last post. I’m going to miss you all too 😢

It’s going to be a busy weekend! My long suffering husband is just dismantling what were my beautiful stick insects cages and then became shelving in the shed. He made them over 30 years ago and they served me well. The car is loaded up for yet another trip to the dump but don’t worry about me getting bored. I have my gorgeous grandsons to keep me busy 🥰

This feels surreal 😥 Lots going on behind the scenes, firstly I still have quite a few creatures, as shown on my website...
10/10/2025

This feels surreal 😥 Lots going on behind the scenes, firstly I still have quite a few creatures, as shown on my website but not in the photo 😂. I met with a nice young man this morning and he will be taking over all the animals that I have left. Don’t worry, I won’t be passing on my business so your personal details are safe, no spam or unwanted emails will be coming your way. My website guy “Super Simon” has been working hard and has now set up a new blog page for me. I know there are lots of people who would like to stay in touch. Simon has imported all my old blog posts (over many years) and I will be writing a new post very soon.

🕷️🪳🐜🦋🪲🐞🦟🕷️🪳🐜🦋🪲🐞🦟🕷️🪳🐜🦋🪲🐞🦟

I put this notice on my website this morning:

This time next week I will be retired!

I will be posting orders on Monday and Wednesday as normal and then it will all be over. Get your last orders in ASAP, I have everything on my website but I'm running out of heat packs, once they are gone the website will be switched off. Wow, that sounds weird!

Thank you so much for all your wonderful messages of support and memories x

This lovely convolvulus hawk-moth caterpillar was speeding along our front drive this week. I was so excited 😁 Hopefully...
04/10/2025

This lovely convolvulus hawk-moth caterpillar was speeding along our front drive this week. I was so excited 😁 Hopefully I will be successful in over-wintering such a rare and beautiful moth. We are at war with the convolvulus plants in our front garden. Finally I can see an upside to this rampant, invasive w**d.

I will always visit the AES exhibition! It’s so well done, the variety of stalls is wonderful and I love catching up wit...
28/09/2025

I will always visit the AES exhibition! It’s so well done, the variety of stalls is wonderful and I love catching up with friends. Here are some of my highlights. It was quite emotional this year as I am really close to retiring and so many people wanted to wish me luck 🥰

Just sent off my last tarantulas! Even my husband said that it’s a bit sad and the end of an era (he is not a fan of spi...
24/09/2025

Just sent off my last tarantulas! Even my husband said that it’s a bit sad and the end of an era (he is not a fan of spiders). I still have everything on my website, Pancake slugs, millipedes, cockroaches, crickets, bean weevils etc. The only arachnids left are my pretty little Florida Tail-less whip scorpions (I was thinking of keeping them so I only put them on the site recently). Things are certainly selling out, it looks like next month will be my last as the bug lady 😔

It’s the AES exhibition a week tomorrow Saturday 27th and I hope to see some of you there, do say hello if you see me. I...
19/09/2025

It’s the AES exhibition a week tomorrow Saturday 27th and I hope to see some of you there, do say hello if you see me. I was hoping to arrange a time and place to meet up but the exhibition is on my grandson’s 6th birthday so I can only be there until after lunch and then we are off to his fancy dress party.

Retirement is getting closer, I still have a number of bugs for sale but I’m down to my last few arachnids. All my scorpions and scorpion like creatures are now reduced and I’m still taking offers on the tarantulas.

Thanks for your lovely messages, it is a very weird feeling to be giving up my bugs after a lifetime of keeping them. I have spoken to my website guy this morning, he’s looking at how I can keep my blog and contact details going, once the website is no longer running.

Photos from previous years.

Address

High Wycombe

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+447971838724

Website

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