Welcome To Garthe's Insect Gradebook Homepage -- condition grading of specimens and the use of Cedar Oil as a dermestid repellent.

Welcome To Garthe's Insect Gradebook Homepage -- condition grading of specimens [ A1 ex-pupae ] DESIGNATION [ A1 ] DESIGNATION [ A1- ] DESIGNATION [ A- ] DESIGNATION [ A2 ] DESIGNATION [ B ] DESIGNATION S U M M A R Y (Photostrip) Cedar Oil Cedar Oil --pg. 2 Mounting Tips S U M M A R Y (Text )&(Guestbook) Visitor's Images for Grading Input Rarities I Rarities II More Special Leps Artistically Enhanced Specimens Still more rarities My Photos FISH......

Purpose:

To provide a reference point whereby any trader, seller, or buyer may visit and use the grading system for his/her use in determining how to grade a specimen by comparison and description.  People electing to use this site as a reference for selling, trading, auctioning, or buying should refer to it as Garthe's Insect Gradebook and may link to it as needed.  In order to provide a wide array of images, I am using smaller file sizes in JPEG format.

 This website may be changed depending on future scenarios.  I am starting out this way for financial reasons and as a test of the field, test of reactions, and whether I and the insect hobbyist/seller community deem it worthwhile/viable.  I welcome constructive comments/emails and will reply as time allows.

If you have a specimen in question, send me a message with attached JPEG photo and I will grade it as per my criteria and/or post it (the JPEG) for comments from visitors.  Space may be limited as well as time of postings.  I am (admittedly) new at this and will endeavor to maintain  objectivity and fairness.

Later on in the site, check out the Cedar Oil section. I have found and worked up a pretty nice, effective, safer (fume-wise) system for protecting my collection.  If you are interested in replacing the fumes of PCB and Vapona in your collection with an effective safer alternative, read the later two pages w pics.

Also, there is a section on Mounting Tips and Ideas to share with you.  I have developed these over years and continue to adapt and build on new ideas.  If any of these work for you or give you ideas of your own, great.

ABOUT ME:

I am an avid amateur lepidopterist/coleopterist who has collected, reared, photographed, studied, and bought insect specimens from around the world for 44 years.  I have a substantial collection, am a biology teacher, and have also contributed to several museums.  I am not professing to be perfect in this endeavor, but merely launching a site whereby action is initiated to remedy the vast grading woes of sellers, buyers, dealers, and suppliers.  I will start with lepidoptera and will continue with coleoptera later on.  Also, I may (as situations arise), deem it necessary to make changes as needed.

male, Callithea sapphira---one of my very favorites:)

Each of the following pages will be for a designated grade application.  It is (in my opinion) very important to get good data with ANY specimen graded at any level.  I also highly suggest one keep a detailed record of purchases and importations/exportations, along with field notes if not purchased.

 

 Click  HERE  to  Link to  MY  CORKBOARD

 

Navigate to pages by clicking

on  WHITE  pages column at left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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By clicking on an image, you can see a larger view.

Highly Recommended Insect Site

The insectnet.com website is the world's finest overall insect website.  It has all the needed facets of interests in insects.  The Forum contains many varying areas of investigation, is full of member input/advice/ideas/experiences and is well managed.  Rearing, mounting, preservation of, curating, field work, taxonomy and reviews are but a few of the multitude of topics addressed here.