| 1964 – The Beginning – In 1964, Terry and Diana Taylor established Combined Scientific.
The Taylors had been encouraged by
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Richard and Louise Fall, owners of BioQuip Products (Bio Metal Associates at that time), to offer insect specimens to the entomological
community. The owners of these two small companies shared a dream that one day the companies would merge to encompass the entire range of entomological needs -
equipment, supplies, books, educational materials, and specimens.
The company originally conducted business from the family home in Rosemead, California. The first catalog with 31 pages contained listings for 153 arthropod families.
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| 1976 – California to Texas –
the Taylors moved to Fort Davis, Texas, and purchased two railroad box cars from
which the business |
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was operated. Many professional and amateur entomologists made the long trip to visit their facility, located in a remote area near Alpine, Texas.
In 2000, the last Combined Scientific catalog, #20, provided listings for over 400 families (approximately 9,000 species). |
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| 2000 – A New Beginning –
In 2000 the business was sold to Greg and Rod Lewallen who renamed the company
Insects International. |
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Catalogs were published, and an increasing percentage of
sales was made on their web site. Eventually the business was closed before BioQuip Products stepped up to the plate to purchase the collection. |
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| 2009/2010 – A New Chapter –
In August 2009 The inventory of Insects International was sold to BioQuip
Products and in March, 2010, |
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the specimens, contained in 1,200 BioQuip
insect drawers, was moved to BioQuip’s facility in Rancho Dominguez, California.
During this major journey the Fall family of BioQuip did an excellent job of recording their adventures! Here are videos from their journey.
Part 1: Fort Davis or Bust
Part 2: Getting to know you
Part 3: Introducing Miss Texas
Part 4: That’s all she wrote
Part 5: The road home
Part 6: BioQuipBugs gets its beginning
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Louise and Richard Fall of BioQuip Products, Inc.
circa 1984 (left) and circa 1990 (right) |
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From 2010 to 2022 BioQuipBugs was
managed by Brent (The Bug Guy) Karner with his trusty crew of many buggy
hooligans, serving museum quality specimens to customers all over the globe!
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BioQuipBugs in the BioQuip Products warehouse and Brent Karner division manger
circa 2010 showing off a beautiful drawer of stag beetles (Lucanidae). |
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| 2022 – BioQuipBugs Today! –
Due to the closing of BioQuip Products, BioQuipBugs was purchased by
entomologist |
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Royce Cumming and moved from Rancho Dominguez to his property in
Monterey County, California where it resides today! |
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We look forward to continuing the
tradition of providing high quality specimens to individuals and
institutions |
