All good things must end

All good things must come to an end. The spider sale has been brilliant but it will be ending in a couple of days (probably Tuesday but I haven't made up my mind yet). Most of the general bug special offers, are set to finish this Sunday (last day of the month). We will be jetting off to Mexico on Tuesday week. I would like to make next Thursday my last day of posting before the holiday but I will probably end up posting the following Monday too. It is such a pain that there are no guaranteed deliveries at the weekend.

The open day at Peregrine Livefoods last Sunday was excellent. Hubby and I really enjoyed it. I remember Dave Perry and Tim Green starting up their business all those years ago (25 years to be precise) and now it is a huge concern, employing a large number of people. We looked at many items of equipment and new products, their animal rooms and I especially enjoyed the tour around the livefood rooms. It is always interesting to see how other people do things. Observing the crickets and locusts being bred in such large numbers was really fascinating. It is very similar to what I do but on a massive scale. I don't know how I manage to do everything myself, it is pretty scary really, I don't have any back up. I have a loving family but they wouldn't have a clue about running my business. I do worry about getting ill but thankfully I am rarely ill and never so ill that I can't carry on. I am pretty fanatical about staying healthy, I love the gym and always watch what I eat and drink. I've said it many times before, I'm a total control freak but that's what keeps me going! We were also provided with a lovely lunch in a marquee at the open day, I'm certainly glad to have received an invite. The weather could have been better but I think everyone is saying that most of the time, aren't they? If it rains in Mexico I will cry!

I briefly mentioned last week that I have discovered a gynandromorph among my Jungle Nymph stick insects. I have seen this before but not for many years. The stick insect is half male and half female. the right side of the body is typically male and the left side is female. I have actually seen them as adults and they are a spectacular sight but most will die before they reach that stage. Each moult becomes more and more difficult. Male and female Jungle Nymphs look completely different from each other. The female is large, spiky and bright green, whereas the male is smaller, brown and fully winged. My nymph is only about 5cm long at the moment so the differences are not huge. I realised it was a gynandromorph when I saw half an ovipositor and the white markings were odd and stopped in the centre of the body. I will keep you posted and try to get some nice photos soon.

I am getting organised for leaving my mini zoo while I disappear on holiday for a week but it is always a worry. The new bug room is just great, I can't believe how I ever worked before. Having everything in one place is bliss, I am continually popping in and out of each room. When I pack orders or feed the animals there is a constant list of things that need tweaking on the website or stock list so I do it there and then. No longer do I need to write notes in the bug house to take indoors or notes in my office to take down to the end of the garden. The new room is smaller but it is far better organised. Just this week I have managed to condense everything that needs spraying, down to one area. I certainly needed to have a tarantula sale, I have sold loads in the last couple of weeks but it doesn't seem to have made much of a dent when you look at my spider shelves. When I get back from Mexico I won't be rushing to restock. I will be looking after my nephew's three kids a fair bit (aged 10, 7 & 4) during the summer holidays and I want to have the time to get out and about with them. I do need to look sensibly at where my business is going. I love insects but tarantulas are far more profitable and much easier to care for. I think my business is naturally evolving, I have always changed with the times. It's probably why I am still here and so many other bug keepers have come and gone. The trouble is that I am a hoarder at heart. I can't resist amazing bugs when they are offered to me but I am determined to change. My hubby and daughter are good at putting the brakes on, they know how much time I put into all my animals. When I say I want a new pet, cat (we lost our elderly one earlier this year), dog (it would be lovely if Teddi had puppies), African Clawed toad (I had one as a child and she was lovely), they always say in unison "no, we don't need one". I know they are right, goodness knows what would happen if I lived alone! I have plenty to look after, I've had our son and daughter in-law's cat for a fortnight (they return from holiday this weekend), mother in-law has a hospital procedure tomorrow, I had the kids yesterday and my elderly neighbour is constantly popping in and out. It's great to be needed but boy am I looking forward to that holiday!