Tobacco Beetle Experiences

**badwhale** · 06-16-2009, 10:47 AM

Ok. Other threads have me hyperventilating now about tobacco beetles.

While I personally haven't had nightmares yet about my stash getting trashed, I hear other people do.

So, here's the poll, I'm trying to find out the likelihood & extent of such an event, and perhaps your thoughts as to the reason it happened (i.e. I bought fake cohibas off the beach, or my buddy in Mexico rolled this double corona for me, but I haven't smoked it yet...etc.)

Will

Edit: I voted for the 2nd. I've seen it, but my stash has been safe sofar, but apparently I'm at risk with higher temps, and I don't freeze my stuff, or have a quarantine cooler...

**bigwhiteash** · 06-16-2009, 10:56 AM

I've seen a picture of a beetle hole... that's about it.

No problems in well over two years of seriouos purchasing and storing cigars.

Oh Yeah... the first person to post that Padron beetle picture is gonna get the white-owl bomb!

**Irish79** · 06-16-2009, 11:08 AM

I've seen pictures online, but nothing in my cigars...yet, but I'm fairly new to storing cigars.

I agree with you Will, reading things online make me a bit nervous since I don't freeze or have a quarantine cooler. And my apartment gets warm enough that I have contemplated purchasing something like this to keep my cooler cool. Plus I could then brew lager with it. Bonus!

**Diesel Grinch** · 06-16-2009, 01:59 PM

I've seen beetles and smoked a few cigars that had beetles at one point. Never had an out break.

Beetles happen.

DG

**mrtr33** · 06-16-2009, 02:35 PM

I've smoked "beetled" cigars.

There's usually a pop, followed by subtle hints of spearmint.

**Roger** · 06-16-2009, 03:01 PM

I know I don't have a problem with beetles. Well... you need to actually have more than one or two cigars at a time to get them... I think.

Spearmint hint? Does that mean Beetles become the menthol of cigars? LOL

**craig** · 06-16-2009, 03:17 PM

Mine were untreated cigars - fake Cubans, and, once, a bundle from an Internet vendor.

Once there was a supply-chain issue - e.g., a few folks had problems with Graycliff 1666 last year. Both of the ones I had, had holes. (The 1666 is not made where the rest of the Graycliffs are made)

Its kind of like cedar-wrapped cigars and mold - you can worry about it and do something, or not worry about it.

What? You didn't know mold grows under those little cedar sheets that some manufacturer's wrap their cigars in?

**big bill** · 06-16-2009, 04:02 PM

Recieved a 5er Gurkha's and inspecting before putting in humi found 3 to 4 little holes in two of the cigars being a newbie and not belonging to this forum yet called distributor they said to freeze and they cedited my acount.

**heftysmokes** · 06-17-2009, 03:09 PM

Miscommumication resulted in 50 count humi left in a hot van for a number of days during a move. Everything went into dumpster

**Smoked!** · 06-18-2009, 02:39 PM

Can I vote twice?

1. My first beetle experience involved a humi I had in long-term storage. (Why? Because I'm a monkey - that's why.) The contents were turned into mulch. I kept no cigars on hand for many years.

2. Several years after the first incident, I decided to again keep a few sticks around my office. In '07, I received a box purchased from a very popular on-line vendor. There was evidence of beetles. Not knowing how to handle such an event, I turned to the internet for information. Brilliant! Fortunately, I discovered this forum while searching for beetle control information. There are several mentions on the board of possible solutions and good information on proper storage to help prevent such occurrences. Once the second small problem was managed, I had no further beetle incidents.

I wouldn't worry too much about beetles. Enjoy the hobby and deal with the small problems if they arise.

**SMEG** · 07-30-2009, 07:41 AM

I keep my coolidor in the basement. It usually runs around 70-73 temp and 70 humidity. I barely have any humidification sponges in their either. Is that a problem? Will my cigars start to get that basement smell and taste? Am I more at risk for beetles because I keep my sticks in the basement?

U

**ashauler** · 07-30-2009, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by SMEG

I keep my coolidor in the basement. It usually runs around 70-73 temp and 70 humidity. I barely have any humidification sponges in their either. Is that a problem? Will my cigars start to get that basement smell and taste? Am I more at risk for beetles because I keep my sticks in the basement?

U

Not having the proper humidity is indeed a problem. 70% is a little high for my smoking preferences, but is the rh% that I use for aging. At 70% I experience too much wrapper splitting, so I keep my smoking humis at 60-65 %.

If your cooler seals well, the outside environment shouldn't affect the cigars at all, imo.

No, the lower temps are the protection against beetles. The higher the temp in your cooler the more chance for beetles to hatch......so you're better off with it in the basement, imo.

**ggiese** · 07-30-2009, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by SMEG

I keep my coolidor in the basement. It usually runs around 70-73 temp and 70 humidity. I barely have any humidification sponges in their either. Is that a problem? Will my cigars start to get that basement smell and taste? Am I more at risk for beetles because I keep my sticks in the basement?

U

No worries - as long as the coolidor seals well. And I store my cigars in discarded cedar cigar boxes I pick up from my local B&M. They all smoke incredibly well after storage.

**Eville** · 07-30-2009, 12:03 PM

I have only experienced beetles in my nightmares, thankfully.

**Mangyrat** · 04-16-2010, 09:57 AM

With summer coming on I do get a little concerned with shipping cigars and having them sit in a hot mail truck or warehouse for 4 to 7 days.

**ndv21** · 04-16-2010, 11:13 AM

I haven't had a problem yet but as the weather is beginning to change, I think I am going to adopt the practice of keeping my humidors between 60-65. I find that they smoke well at that humidity.

**badwhale** · 04-16-2010, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by ndv21

I haven't had a problem yet but as the weather is beginning to change, I think I am going to adopt the practice of keeping my humidors between 60-65. I find that they smoke well at that humidity.

Beetle hatching has more to do with temperature than humidity.

Will

**Tdre977** · 04-16-2010, 12:03 PM

I was fretting the other day because my temp spiked to like 83ish, I looked around the forum and decided to add a ice pack to bring it down, but man, it had me worried about them beetles. Now I moved it to the bottom of my closet, not as asthetically pleasing as it was sitting on my dresser, but the temp has dropped considerably.

**MarineOne** · 04-17-2010, 11:38 PM

I've had some temp spikes out here when the A/C in my room died while I was home on leave, and didn't have any issues with beetles.

It ruined a couple of cigars, but most were able to be saved.

**Shane at Cusano Cigars** · 04-18-2010, 10:47 PM

Actually a lot of cigars have beetle eggs inside them. The beetles lay eggs on the plants in the fields and the eggs are so small that the workers can't see them and therefore these eggs get rolled up into the cigar!

Proper temperature control is necessary to prevent the eggs from hatching and spreading throughout your humidor as some of the above replies mentioned (60-70 F). Some manufacturers freeze their product when it is imported to prevent the eggs from ever hatching no matter what temperature they are stored at.

The best thing you can do is ensure proper temp control and check your cigars periodically.