Residents relish Bugs Life encounters

A recent visit to a local dementia care home by Plymouth-based Bugs Life had residents captivated by the reptiles and animals they were able to meet, handle and feed.

Sarah McCaffrey, deputy manager at Butterfly Lodge in St Budeaux, said: “Our ladies and gents were fascinated with their animal encounters and surprised us with their willingness to handle them – including some they’d never come across before.

“Pancake the crested gecko, Milly the millipede and Tiddles the tortoise were among their favourites.

“And Buckbuck the hen, Cummacumma the chameleon, and the impressive cornsnake and surprisingly friendly Brazilian whiteknee tarantula were also great hits – not just with the residents, but also with many of my colleagues.”

David “the bug man” Grimes, established his business offering educational animal encounters for parties, schools, youth groups and residential homes, eight years ago.

The idea came to him after he had provided a ‘show and tell’ session featuring his many pets at a summer fair held at his daughter’s school.

David said: “It was incredibly popular, so my wife Sue and I developed the idea of creating a business where we could take a selection of the reptiles and animals into local schools and homes or take them as special guests to children’s parties and other events, and we’ve honestly never looked back.

“I am really passionate about all our creatures, so being able to turn my hobby into a way of making a living has been a dream come true.”

The Bugs Life visit was arranged by the activities team at Butterfly Lodge as part of a full and varied activities programme to keep residents engaged and entertained. The home is run by award-winning dementia care providers Camelot Care who also have homes in Bridgwater, Wellington and Yeovil in Somerset, and will be opening a second Devon home in Holsworthy later this year.