Tobacco Beetles..

[iRiSh]

I got a box of cigars a few weeks ago and have had 4 out of them.
All fine and a nice smoke.

This evening i opened one (they are all wrapped in plastic)
I noticed two small holes at the butt and a half inch slot 3/4 of the way down. Being a novice i have not come across this before and doing research i found it to be an infestation of Tobacco Beetle.

I have check the rest of the cigars in the box and found another 4 cigars with similar holes, i have seperated them from the rest.

A few questions

I should put the effected cigars in the freezer? For how long?

The other cigars with no visable signs of beetle damage should be alright?

Is it dangerous to smoke these?

Thanks in advance for any help..:)

[irratebass]

I am no help here, but I sure someone will jump at this and help you.

I would contact whomever you got the box from and see about a refund or possible an exchange 1st of all and I would separate the infected from the others.

Sorry this happened to ya bro.

[chippewastud79]

I should put the effected cigars in the freezer? For how long?

The other cigars with no visable signs of beetle damage should be alright?

Is it dangerous to smoke these?

Thanks in advance for any help..:)

No, you should put them all in the freezer. The other cigars could very well be infested.

They will not be dangerous to smoke after freezing.

Read this STICKY:

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7919&highlight=freeze

:tu

[T.G]

This evening i opened one (they are all wrapped in plastic)


Cellophane. Not plastic.


I should put the effected cigars in the freezer? For how long?

Silverfox posted a detailed thread here: How to Freeze and the Science behind it. Long Post (http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7919&highlight=freezing+cigars+science)

But the quick answer is 4-6 days in the freezer,. I like 6, it gives me some safety to make up for the fact that residential freezers don't keep a constant low temp, they cycle. Better to be safe than sorry later. After that, if you want to put them in the refrigerator for a day, go ahead, it won't hurt them, but it really isn't necessary. They have so little mass and water in them compared to what is normally found in freezers, that they thaw very quickly.


The other cigars with no visable signs of beetle damage should be alright?

Best to freeze everything as it's hard to say what might still be harboring unhatched eggs.


Is it dangerous to smoke these?


No, not dangerous.

[Tbagley]

Smoke the little bugs out of their nest!

[iRiSh]

I am no help here, but I sure someone will jump at this and help you.

I would contact whomever you got the box from and see about a refund or possible an exchange 1st of all and I would separate the infected from the others.

Sorry this happened to ya bro.

Thanks bro

No, you should put them all in the freezer. The other cigars could very well be infested.

They will not be dangerous to smoke after freezing.

Read this STICKY:

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7919&highlight=freeze

:tu

Good thread, good info thanks

Cellophane. Not plastic.


Silverfox posted a detailed thread here: How to Freeze and the Science behind it. Long Post (http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7919&highlight=freezing+cigars+science)

But the quick answer is 4-6 days in the freezer,. I like 6, it gives me some safety to make up for the fact that residential freezers don't keep a constant low temp, they cycle. Better to be safe than sorry later. After that, if you want to put them in the refrigerator for a day, go ahead, it won't hurt them, but it really isn't necessary. They have so little mass and water in them compared to what is normally found in freezers, that they thaw very quickly.


Best to freeze everything as it's hard to say what might still be harboring unhatched eggs.



No, not dangerous.

I will put them all in the freezer bud, better safe than sorry, pain in the arse the little bastards.



Smoke the little bugs out of their nest!

HaHa:tu

[Newbie_nick]

That's scary! I'm glad that you caught it before it infected your whole humidor!

[WittyUserName]

May I ask what brand of cigars they are and where you got them?

I hope the freezing works and your stock is not infected.

[bobarian]

May I ask what brand of cigars they are and where you got them?

I hope the freezing works and your stock is not infected.

The brand of cigars is irrelevant. Any cigar can become infested even though many factories and distributors freeze before shipping. Tobacco beetles like mold are prevalent everywhere. Although called tobacco beetles they in fact also eat paper and most other vegetable based products including cellophane. :2

[WittyUserName]

The brand of cigars is irrelevant. Any cigar can become infested even though many factories and distributors freeze before shipping. Tobacco beetles like mold are prevalent everywhere. Although called tobacco beetles they in fact also eat paper and most other vegetable based products including cellophane. :2

Thanks Bob. I understand all of that, I am just curious.


May I ask what brand they are and where you got them?

[irratebass]

But the quick answer is 4-6 days in the freezer,. I like 6, it gives me some safety to make up for the fact that residential freezers don't keep a constant low temp, they cycle. Better to be safe than sorry later. After that, if you want to put them in the refrigerator for a day, go ahead, it won't hurt them, but it really isn't necessary. They have so little mass and water in them compared to what is normally found in freezers, that they thaw very quickly.

Thanks for the quick answer.

[gbum]

urghhh that nasty!

[LostAbbott]

Let the grow on a few sticks you won't mind loseing then fry and cover in chocolate, yummm... ;)
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[sikk50]

Ugh, beetles are like cigar koodies. Treat with aggressive freezing!

The fact remains that very likely your humidor went above 70*f for a period of time. That means all of your cigars may be infected. Freeze everything.

[webjunkie]

Man I hate the little buggers. Freeze everything as per silverfox's excellent thread. Freeze all cigars before putting them in your humi. Constant Vigilance!

[iRiSh]

May I ask what brand of cigars they are and where you got them?

I hope the freezing works and your stock is not infected.

Torano Virtuoso Robusto, Bought from the UK

Ugh, beetles are like cigar koodies. Treat with aggressive freezing!

The fact remains that very likely your humidor went above 70*f for a period of time. That means all of your cigars may be infected. Freeze everything.

:tu

Man I hate the little buggers. Freeze everything as per silverfox's excellent thread. Freeze all cigars before putting them in your humi. Constant Vigilance!

:tu

[sparkboss]

i just recieved a humi (VERY DRY) with a good amount of cigars within, roughly 10 (VERY DRY) Gran Habano's and ~25 of another irrelivant cigar. but ALL the habano's had many holes and pits from tobacco beetles, i actually recieved these third hand as the person whom they were intended for has no interest in keeping and caring for these precious sticks, but the man he recieved them from claimed that the tobacco beetles were "Good" for the cigars. now im no cigar professional but the first thing that comes into my head is a flashing red exclamation point that denotes obvious worry for infestation.. However i've no freezer and i have no clue how long the sticks have been sitting in this ultra drymidor, would it actually be worth re-humidifying these cigars and making them smokable once again?

Also, the other 25 cigars are untouched by the bettles, so my guess is that they're dead :)

[massphatness]

the man he recieved them from claimed that the tobacco beetles were "Good" for the cigars

much in the same that syphallus is good for your johnson :confused:

[Cornrow_Wallis]

i just recieved a humi (VERY DRY) with a good amount of cigars within, roughly 10 (VERY DRY) Gran Habano's and ~25 of another irrelivant cigar. but ALL the habano's had many holes and pits from tobacco beetles, i actually recieved these third hand as the person whom they were intended for has no interest in keeping and caring for these precious sticks, but the man he recieved them from claimed that the tobacco beetles were "Good" for the cigars. now im no cigar professional but the first thing that comes into my head is a flashing red exclamation point that denotes obvious worry for infestation.. However i've no freezer and i have no clue how long the sticks have been sitting in this ultra drymidor, would it actually be worth re-humidifying these cigars and making them smokable once again?

Also, the other 25 cigars are untouched by the bettles, so my guess is that they're dead :)

Dry and full of holes...just pitch them. ;s

And I wouldn't put any of the cigars, even the seemingly untouched ones, into another humi with other cigars.

[jluck]

Also, the other 25 cigars are untouched by the Beatles, so my guess is that they're dead :)

Or....These 25 aren't even good enough for beetles to enjoy. :r (Thompson?)

[lenguamor]

Freeze 'em all, let God sort 'em out.

[iRiSh]

i just recieved a humi (VERY DRY) with a good amount of cigars within, roughly 10 (VERY DRY) Gran Habano's and ~25 of another irrelivant cigar. but ALL the habano's had many holes and pits from tobacco beetles, i actually recieved these third hand as the person whom they were intended for has no interest in keeping and caring for these precious sticks, but the man he recieved them from claimed that the tobacco beetles were "Good" for the cigars. now im no cigar professional but the first thing that comes into my head is a flashing red exclamation point that denotes obvious worry for infestation.. However i've no freezer and i have no clue how long the sticks have been sitting in this ultra drymidor, would it actually be worth re-humidifying these cigars and making them smokable once again?

Also, the other 25 cigars are untouched by the bettles, so my guess is that they're dead :)



Get them frozen, as per advice on here i did with mine and they were sound after it. :tu

[sparkboss]

great advice.. and @phatness... HAAHHAHAAHHAHAHHA!