Help!!! Beetles!!!

**ReV** · 02-24-2007, 03:59 PM

question:

I just got a humidor not too long ago and this thread has me worried... about how common are beetles anyway? I live in a pretty tropical climate down here, but i keep my humi between 67-71% humidity and around 71 degreee temp.

**TampaSupremo** · 02-24-2007, 07:59 PM

I don't think they are all that common. Or rather, heavy infestations are not that common. The B&M I go to inspects every stick they put on the shelves because their insurance policy does not cover tobacco beetle infestations so they have a vested interest in making sure they don't place suspicious looking sticks on the shelf. Plus the manufacturers have their own controls in place (chemicals, freezing, etc). The important thing is to make sure that at the first sign of beetles, toss the infected sticks and freeze the others. It may not destroy the eggs but it will kill larvae.

I'm an expert on this by no means, but I've spoken to some knowledgeable folks and done a good bit of reading on the boards. This is the info I've gleaned on this situation. Hope this helps.

TampaSupremo

**aceswired** · 02-24-2007, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by ReV

I just got a humidor not too long ago and this thread has me worried... about how common are beetles anyway?

I've read that virtually every cigar has at least beetle eggs (even if they're no longer viable). It's a matter of those little bastards hatching that makes it a problem. But it is odd to know that you're smoking beetle eggs pretty much every time you light up.

**SMEG** · 07-29-2009, 08:06 PM

Sorry to relive anyones nightmare but this shit scares me almost to the point of only having a very small collection. How common are these things and what temp and humidity do they thrive at? I would hate for some of my cigars I've had for 6 monts or so to be wasted.

**badwhale** · 07-29-2009, 08:08 PM

Do a search. I posted a thread a month or so ago that had a poll. There were other discussions in there too.

Will

**ggiese** · 07-30-2009, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by SMEG

Sorry to relive anyones nightmare but this shit scares me almost to the point of only having a very small collection. How common are these things and what temp and humidity do they thrive at? I would hate for some of my cigars I've had for 6 monts or so to be wasted.

There are some incredible pics floating around showing the kind of damage these little buggers make. I personally saw a brand new box from the manufacturer, won in a drawing, LOADED with larvae. The tops of the cigars looked perfectly fine - but when you flipped the cigars over there was little that hadn't been chewed into...

I'm not aware there's any secret formula for preventing it from happening. One manufacturer or region doesn't seem to be more or less susceptible. Freezing seems to help - I know my shop supposedly freezes everything coming in - but I've also heard of individuals that have been hit AFTER the cigars were frozen. Keeping the cigars cool (around 70 degrees) does seem to help. Letting the cigars get over 80 degrees for any kind of prolonged period seems to speed the process up.

Bottom line - It happens often enough to be concerned, but not enough to lose sleep over it...

**TravPSU** · 07-30-2009, 09:20 AM

Although I would never want to have my cigars ruined by beetles, it could be a blessing in disguise. It would be an excuse to rebuild my collection... with better cigars!

**Irish79** · 07-30-2009, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by TravPSU

Although I would never want to have my cigars ruined by beetles, it could be a blessing in disguise. It would be an excuse to rebuild my collection... with better cigars!

Personally, I would prefer to rebuild my collection with better cigars after smoking and enjoying my current sicks.

Wait, that might depend upon what you've been collecting...