argg, beetles!

[mithril]

well i just got ready to smoke my Rocky Patel vintage 1990 and i found a little beetle peeking out of a hole in it. so i'm kind of mad. but more than that i'm worried about the other cigars i have. the RP was in a humi bag along with three other cigars (1 in a glass tube and 2 still in the plastic wrappers), what chance do they have of being infected? i don't see any holes in them but i don't know if it laid any eggs. are eggs even visible with the naked eye?

[SFG75]

Oh man, that sucks!. Isolate the cigars from one another in baggies or tuppedor containers. Time will tell if beetles have migrated over or have hatched. Bummer bro.

[mithril]

thanks. how long should it take to see if the rest are infected?

[QuietC]

i thought i read before that you can freeze your cigars, which will kill the beetles. anyone know if thats correct? or am i wrong?

[SFG75]

thanks. how long should it take to see if the rest are infected?

7.4 Worms (lacioderma - the tobacco beetle)
portions contributed by Rafael Bernardo (rafaelb@csatelite.es)

Common names: Perforador del Tabaco and Gorgojo del Tabaco (Cuba), Carcoma del Tabaco (Puerto Rico), Tobacco Beetle and Herbarium Beetle (USA)

Scientific name: Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius)

Class: Insect
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Bostrychoidea
Family: Anobiidae
Genre: Lasioderma
Species: L. serricorne

This insect is capable of damaging stored tobacco in both raw material and manufactured product, and can be found in any of its phases: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
Eggs are white colored and about 1/2 mm (1/64") in length. They are laid on tobacco at the warehouse by adult females, and hatch in 6 to 10 days.

The small larvae are grub-shaped and whitish, measuring about 4 mm (1/6") at the end of their development, and are covered by fine, long brown hairs that make them appear "fuzzy"; their heads have yellow-brown markings. They feed 5-10 weeks (depending on temperature), and cause extensive damage to cigars by boring through them. At temperatures below 15-16 degrees C (60 degrees F) the larvae become dormant and get a status of lethargy.

Larvae pupate in the damaged material for 2-3 weeks, remaining inactive during that period of time. The whole life period, from egg to adult, takes about 10 to 12 weeks.

The imago or adult insect is oval, about 3 mm (1/8") long and reddish-brown in color; it has a hard body covered with tiny hairs that give it a golden sheen; its head is bent downward so that the beetle has a distinctive "hump- backed" look. It is a good flier, and can live up to a month.

This and other useful info can be found at the ever famous cigar group FAQ.

[SFG75]

Even though manufacturers and retailers take precautions against beetles, it's not impossible for a few to sneak through into your cigars. So, if you see signs of damage, act immediately. Put all the cigars from an infected humidor in a zipped plastic bag and place them in your freezer for three days. If the cigars are still in their box, put the whole box into the freezer. Treat all of your cigars, because if you have one damaged cigar, you have to assume they're all at risk. Freezing infested cigars kills any beetles or eggs inside, preventing your beetle problem from spreading. After three days in the deep freeze, move the cigars into your refrigerator to avoid shocking the smokes from the temperature change, which could split their wrappers. In the meantime, wipe your empty humidor clean with a damp cloth. Don't use any type of cleaner or disinfectant - it will ruin the wood and leave an odor that will taint your cigars. After one day in the refrigerator, the cigars can be returned to the humidor. Include some strips of cedar to absorb the excess moisture being released.

http://www.cigarsinternational.com/html/cig101_7mob.asp

[CoventryCat86]

Absolutely AMAZING!!!!!!

Scotty offering USEFUL information on a cigar board

Will wonders never cease.....

[superman78]

well done cc even when u compliment him you still manage to make fun of him

[mithril]

ok, the cigars are in the freezer. i need to get a new humi bag, i don't trust the old one. thanks again. 3 days till i get more money for it. i might pick up a 4th of july smoke while i'm at it.