I am the original 'Bug Lady', breeding and supplying many types of creepy crawly pets. I've been going for over 35 years. www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk (my USP?
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! I do not lie!)
Next on my “hit list” 😁
I have way too many adult White Spotted Assassin bugs (Platymeris biguttata). They make a great display animal. They are large, striking and most importantly, active during the day. They live happily together and are easy to keep and breed. Just don’t put your fingers near them! Now going very cheaply on my website www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk
Exciting Monday morning 😁🪲😁
My African Spotted Flower Beetles (Stephanorrhina guttata) have begun to hatch! I think these two are a male/female pair so fingers crossed for larvae in the not too distant future 😄 They are beautiful, bright, shiny and extremely active beetles. I had to evict my Phormictopus cautus tarantulas, they were in a large Exo Terra vivarium, just perfect for the beetles. They have spent several days and nights together so hopefully they have mated by now. I have set the female up in a lovely new vivarium and the male has gone back into his somewhat smaller tank. I will put him on my website now, he may be visiting another lady spider soon ❤️
Thanks to everyone who has bought my Madagascan Zebra spiders in the last week. I thought I would be stuck with them forever more 😁 But just as I thought they were almost gone another egg sac hatched 😂 I have put some micro crickets and tissue in the jar and I am selling the whole lot on my website www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk (very cheap for quick sale)
Some people get flowers or chocolates 😁
Not me, hubby came in from work and said that he had got me a present, I was washing up (I’m so domesticated 😊). Then he gave me this jar and said that it was a spider house. Who needs flowers and chocolates when you can have a spider house. It’s great, just needs a clean and I’m sure I can make a super spider house/vivarium. Watch this space, evidently they were going to throw it in the bin at his work!
Successes and failures!
My gorgeous Tail-less Whip scorpions are gravid again 🥳 They are so popular and such an amazing arachnid. But all my very pretty, Madagascan Zebra spiders are just not selling. I have sold some off wholesale but nobody seems to want them as pets 😔 I’m having one last push and have reduced the juvenile spiders to a silly amount 😂
In my drive to cut down on the time I spend looking after all these creatures, I am doing my best to anticipate what will sell and what won’t. It looks like true spiders are out and it’s tarantulas, scorpions, Vinegaroons and Tail-less Whips then 😁 I have now sold out of C.versicolor spiderlings, they certainly went well!
www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk
Pottering around on a Sunday afternoon 😄☀️🐛🌺
My poor Nasturtium plants 😩 I had a lovely display but when I saw butterfly caterpillars on them last week, I felt I couldn’t remove them. They may only be Cabbage Whites but they are ‘butterflies’ and there are precious few of them around these days!
I was changing things around in my bug room and looking for a larger home for an obviously gravid Heterometrus spinifer scorpion, a little earlier. I had just got everything sorted when I opened her box and saw her with beautiful little babies. Oh well, I won’t be moving her for a while now. What to put in my nice new tank 🤔 There is plenty to choose from in my bug room. I had already moved my Phormictopus auratus into a larger tank, in preparation for introducing the male to her sometime this coming week (when I feel brave enough 😊). Always plenty to do in my life as the bug lady 😄 (that sounds like a good title for a book 😂). Perhaps I will write one when/if I ever retire.
All good things must come to an end 😁
“Make Me An Offer” has been a huge success but it will be finishing at the end of the week (so get your last minute offers in now!!!)
It all sounds so simple but maths is not my strong point. Working out the prices and constantly changing them on the website has taken a lot of effort but has definitely been worth it.
I was so happy to see at the weekend, that my male Phormictopus auratus has finally matured 😄 My beautiful purple princess, Phormictopus cautus is still carrying around and protecting her egg sac. I do hope it will hatch but it seems like a long time to me. I keep half expecting it to be discarded but I can be a bit of a pessimist. (and not very patient either 😂)
www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk
The wanderer returns! 🕷
I was actually searching for escaped Cave crickets in the cupboard under the sink in my bug room but I found something far better, my long lost Cyprus Star tarantula 😄 She had been missing since April but as my bug room is sealed, I knew she would turn up eventually. These spiders have a special place in my heart as I have seen them many times on our holidays in Cyprus.
My tarantula sale is still going really well, thank you so much to all those people who have shared my details, I am really grateful and please keep it up! I am continuing the sale because I clearly had way more tarantulas than I realised. I need to get them down to a level where I can do a proper stock take, that’s the aim 😁 I do now have gaps on the shelves and empty houses but they will soon be filled with my smaller spiders that are outgrowing their current homes and of course I have plenty of spiderlings to fill their containers and so it goes on ….
What a busy day I’ve had today!
My sale is going really well, these are some photos that I have sent out today and all but one of these spiders has been snapped up 😊
In my last post I said that I had only refused one offer but that comment seems to have triggered a number of ridiculously low offers today. I’ve only got myself to blame and it did make me laugh. Offers need to be reasonable, it’s not a closing down sale 😂
“Make Me An Offer” is going well but several people have said that they feel awkward choosing a price so I am happy for you to just let me know which tarantula you are interested in and I will reduce it on the website without you needing to make an offer!
I’m very pleased with this promotion and I have only said no, to just the one offer (which was crazy low). I still need to sell more tarantulas, I would like to get to a stage where I can do a proper stock take 😂 (I of course have many more that are not on the website, these I am keeping for breeding or they are coming up for a moult)
I am also more than happy to send a photo of the actual spider for sale 🕷🕷🕷
Nanna’s little helper in the bug room today😍 Nanna’s slightly bigger little helper will be with us next weekend. Now you see why Nanna needs to cut down on her massive spider collection 😂😂😂 Who said it seems rude to ‘make me an offer’? Not rude at all, please do 🙏
This week’s Top Tarantula: Ephebopus cyanognathus - Blue Fang (another of my favourites 😄)
It is time to “make me an offer” on my tarantulas page!
Just drop me an email, tell me which tarantula/tarantulas you would like and how much you would like to pay for each
(I may or may not be able to match your offer but there will always be a reduction. It really depends how much I paid and the time put in)
Remember, once the reduction appears on the website you will need to order quickly or someone else may bag the bargain! (the price may only be reduced for a day or two so please don’t ask unless you are ready to buy)
If you would like a photo of the actual spider (any size) just email - [email protected]
I have added many more creatures to my new category Bargain Bulk Buy Babies. It is looking more like a trade list but it is open to all. I really am trying to cut down as I have a lot on this summer (loose term, what happened to summer?) but the bugs keep reproducing 😂😂
www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk
Happy World Snake Day from my gorgeous Corn snakes 😍
And it all begins again 😁 I am supposed to be cutting back for the summer but everything keeps breeding! Never mind, it seems that summer is cancelled this year 😂
All ready for tonight 🏴⚽️
(Having just given birth to 30 odd babies, she needs to let her hair down 😁)
Great excitement this morning 😁
My Giant Vinegaroon has had babies! I didn’t want to disturb her too much so I don’t know how many but I could see lots of little tails waving around in her cave 🥰
I have been very successful with breeding my spiders recently but not quite so successful at selling them - Help! 🙏
They really are going very cheaply on my new “Bargain Bulk Buy Babies” page and if anyone is able to collect from me, I may even go a little lower. Honestly, constantly feeding all these little ones is not what I want to be doing with my summer.
I would be really grateful if you could spread the word with friends, anyone you think might want some, reptile shops, social media, forums, etc 🙏
Don’t worry too much, I will of course keep feeding them all whatever 😁
Update - Wow! Thanks everyone!
All details are on my website www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk
I’m back 😊
We had a lovely week in the Isle of Wight, the weather could have been better 😏 But it was great and we visited lots of interesting places.
The lovely Lexi stayed at our house and did a super job of looking after the bugs. We got back yesterday and I have spent the day, feeding, cleaning and sorting out everything. My emails are now down to zero 😁 Posting orders will resume tomorrow. It’s like I haven’t been away 😂
This week’s Top Tarantula: Yellow Banded (Cyclosternum schmardae)
I have what I hope are a sub-adult breeding pair, time will tell 😁
Happy Monday morning, the sun is shining 😄
There is always something new to learn in the bug room. I didn’t know that Tail-less Whip scorpions continued to moult once adult but I do now 😂 This is my breeding trio and I thought one had died when I went to feed them but thankfully they were just moulting, amazing! You probably all know by now that I am fascinated by the moulted skins. They are beautiful in their own right, perhaps “if” I ever retire I will find something to do with them! I certainly don’t have any time at the moment with all my new babies.
Babies, babies everywhere 🫤
I’m trying to cut things down a bit! (it’s not working very well 😂)
My new categories are coming along but there is still plenty to do. The C.versicolor babies are so cute but I had to move them as they could get out of the tank they were in. Mum is alone in there now but even she ran out when I tried to photograph her 😊
Lots of tiny little scorplings are now housed in individual pots (Vaejovis spinigerus)
This weeks Top Tarantula: Nigerian Brown Baboon (Hysterocrates laticeps)
An attractive spider with a velvet coat, they really like to dig and make interesting and intricate burrows. I think the second picture says “that’s it, I’ve had enough now” 😄
New blog post this morning, read it on the website, if you are interested 😊 I’m putting the last paragraph on here today instead of the first 🦂🕷️🦗 This old photo goes with the blog.
“I’m hoping for a calmer week next week, while my husband was away our electricity supplier decided to do maintenance and cut off all power to the street for an entire day. Big panic with all the thermostats, lights and electrics in the bug room but I sort of managed until hubby returned, then there was the accident with my daughter’s partner (thankfully not as bad as it could have been) and issues with Milo this week, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. I need to find a new yoga class! Still, we won the pub quiz last night 😁”
The photo says it all 😁
Too much to do and not enough time to do it 😂
Excitement this morning 😁
I opened my box of Pancake slugs and saw a large clump of eggs. These tropical slugs are huge, they literally span my hand 🖐
I’m still attempting to cut down on my huge number of bugs (especially tarantulas). I don’t think many people have noticed the new category on my website “Bulk Buy Babies”, there are some really good deals due to the time it takes me to look after all these little ones. I’ve been far too successful at breeding this year 😂
I am also about to revamp the “Collection Only” category on my site. These are creatures that I don’t feel happy sending in the post. They are often larger tarantulas that I’m concerned may be close to moulting and they are largely one off items with a photograph of the particular animal that I am selling. There may also be bulk buy deals which are too heavy to post by Special Delivery.
Please do take a look (feel free to pass my details on!)
www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk
Don’t expect to hear from me tomorrow 😢
Our electricity supplier is cutting off all power to the street for the entire day! Evidently it is for maintenance. My husband is away this week and it will knock out all my timers, clocks etc. Thank goodness the weather is warm now! No internet, no lights, no hot water and probably no phone either as it seems to work on the internet mostly.
This week’s Top Tarantula: The Costa Rican Red (Sericopelma angustum)
A lovely specimen, very recently moulted and from my favourite place in the world 🇨🇷😊
Monday lunch time in the bug room 😊
Absolutely delighted to find that my Paravaejovis spinigerus has given birth Wow, that is a lot of babies!
You might need to use your imagination for the second photo. It is my exquisite Caribeña versicolor with an egg sac. She didn’t show a lot of enthusiasm for the male when I introduce them but clearly they got more friendly when I wasn’t watching 😄
21 Willow Close
High Wycombe
HP109LH
| Monday | 9am - 4pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 4pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 4pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 5pm |
| Friday | 8am - 4pm |
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Not the best video, most of the spiders ran back down their holes when I opened the lid 😄
Last day 😔 I absolutely love cicadas, the sound of a good holiday 🥰 #cicada #holidaysong # cyprusholidays
This is a one week only offer! Monday 20th - Friday 24th June Due to my imminent holiday and being far too successful at breeding this year 😄 I have put together a wholesale list of insects and millipedes, I don’t want to create more work so please just email for the list if you are local enough to collect from me, I will not be able to send these items out and there are no spiders on the list. Minimum spend £50. Although anyone may order from this list, I am obviously expecting it to appeal to local reptile businesses or online retailers. Cash on collection only. #cockroaches #funwithnanna #bugsale
Bob is well into his spiders 😁 He loves helping Nanna in the bug room and dragging me out into the garden to search for spiders in all weathers. Now that I have mastered (sort of mastered) how to reduce spiders on the tarantula page of my website, rather than having to use the now defunct, separate ‘special offers’ page, I will be reducing more spiders in the next week or so. I don’t think I have ever had so many tarantulas and just today I received a number of beautiful, healthy, captive bred, baby spiders. They are all quite small at the moment but will soon grow and there are some interesting species (15 species in all). I have spent the day unpacking, feeding, labelling and putting them on the website. I need hubby to help me put up some more shelving tomorrow. Can’t wait to have a sit down this evening! Enjoy Bob and his Incy Wincy spider 😄
What can I say but “WOW” 😄 At last someone in the family who truly appreciates my little animals 🥰
If you liked my last post you will love this one! 🐝🐝🐝 I had to move the bees as the school children were coming through the field and dogs could have run over the swarm (I like dogs too 😃). The Bee man came and collected the box so all's well that ends well and no stings either 👍🏻
Thought I would give everyone a laugh on this cold, wet morning (well it is in High Wycombe). Here is my 2nd failed attempt at retrieving the lids to some pots that I desperately need for posting orders! I do have a first attempt video but it is five minutes long and contains a few rude words!
My first video on Facebook so be kind, it's a bit wobbly as I was one handed on my phone and trying to be gentle with the spider but not get bitten. We did have "I hate you right now" by Kelis as the music but it was blocked (a great song but it is copy-write protected). She wasn't a happy spider!
Thought I would video myself packing up this rather unhappy spider. I knew she would be trouble and she was. It's rather wobbly as I had to hold the phone with one hand and carefully manoeuvre the spider with the other. I didn't want to harm her or me! I had tried to put the video on with the music 'I hate you so much right now' by Kelis (a great song but I couldn't use it due to copy-write). Goodness knows what music my hubby has used now and what on earth are those sound effects😏
