XOTIC PETS: Ian Batten with two of the insects he has bred for sale
INSECT enthusiast Ian Batten has managed to turn his passion for bugs into a hugely successful business.
The 17-year-old Corsham School pupil of Thickwood Lane, Colerne, shares his family home with millions of creepy crawlies.
In 2004 the intrepid teenager began selling
exotic bugs after buying a couple of land snails that multiplied leaving behind 300 eggs.
He decided to see if he could sell some of the eggs in pet shops and online and quickly realised there was a huge market for insects, especially stick insects.
He said: "It all started as a bit of a hobby really and then when the insects starting mating I had to see about rehoming them.
"My family are really supportive and don't mind the insects too much, although I have been banished to the garage so they are pretty much out of the way.
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"Since setting up my own website in 2006 we have had over a million hits and people seem to go crazy for these insects."
Ian's business was briefly put on hold last year, however, when millions of his fruit flies escaped from their enclosure in his bedroom.
That was when his mum Marja, 48, decided he had to relocate to the family's garage.
She said: "I am not a
squeamish person and the bugs don't really faze me, but the fruit fly incident nearly pushed me over the edge.
"Ian had forgotten to close one of the nets and millions of these flies got out all over the house - they were in our toothbrushes, food and in practically every room.
"That's when we agreed it would be best for Ian, and the insects, if they moved out to the garage where he can house all his special equipment.
"He has done wonderfully well with the business and has been making a great return."
Ian breeds some of the world's most exotic insects including Australian Giant Prickly stick insects, Violin praying mantises, Indian Flower mantises and foot-long giant stick insects.
Anyone interested in buying one of Ian's creatures should log on to www.insectstore.com
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