Tobacco Beetle test... for science!

[brendonc]

Hi all,

I have a desktop humidor at around 22C, 64% rH, with about 100 cubans (all 2013) inside. Its been that way for about two weeks, and I do an inspection weekly for beetles.

How much time needs to pass, without the signs of beetles (fine beetle poo, holes in cigars etc) before you would be comfortable that its beetle free?

[AussieCanuck]

Unless they've spent time in the freezer....never.

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[Maplepie]

All the studies i've read says the eggs are "hatchable" until 6 months from being laid.

Keeping in mind they only hatch above 25 C and high 60%s humidity (from my shitty memory. Let's not turn these numbers into a broken telephone game! Those numbers aren't exact.), i wouldn't worry TOO much about it.

The CanadaOZian above me is right though. Freezing normally puts most people's mind at ease.

My standard practice for getting cigars straight from Cuba is: 2 days in fridge, 3 in freezer, 2 more in fridge. Into quarantine humidor for 4-6 months. Then i can put them all in with the rest of my collection later.

[Smalls]

I have read more than once that freezing isn't quite the sure thing that many tend to think it is. I am not knowledgeable enough to know how accurate that information is though.

I try to keep the humidity 65% or below and the temps below 70F. I can't afford a huge collection so I am able to check them often for signs of beetles.

I admit that I worry about it more than I probably should.

[Maplepie]

I try to keep the humidity 65% or below and the temps below 70F.

I admit that I worry about it more than I probably should.

two key sentences when dealing with tobacco beetles

[Fosgate]

Depends on the temp of your freezer. Mine only goes to -4 according to the thermometer I put in there so I go 48hrs +an extra day for good measure.

http://cigaromania.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-to-freeze-cigars.html

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

Temp Conversion table http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm

[fookite]

Hi all,

I have a desktop humidor at around 22C, 64% rH, with about 100 cubans (all 2013) inside. Its been that way for about two weeks, and I do an inspection weekly for beetles.

How much time needs to pass, without the signs of beetles (fine beetle poo, holes in cigars etc) before you would be comfortable that its beetle free?

Given what you say, I would expect beetles to never hatch. Therefore, I don't think that you could ever be comfortable that these cigars are beetle free; if they were full of beetles, they would never hatch and you would never see them.

[brendonc]

Ok, time to chuck them all the freezer.

Once they have been in a freezer for a week, is there anything wrong with having them at 65% rH, but around 25/26C? Sometimes gets hot in my house...

[UpInSmoak]

Ok, time to chuck them all the freezer.

Once they have been in a freezer for a week, is there anything wrong with having them at 65% rH, but around 25/26C? Sometimes gets hot in my house...

You'll be fine at those temps as long as you freeze.

[ajgagnon]

I had to move my humidor to the basement/crawl space to keep it cool! It's normally quite cool where I live but I had some hot summer stretches that spawned beetles a year or so ago.

The other big thing to watch out for is sunshine on the humidor, at any time of day.

[SaintLuis]

Never froze a cigar, never had a bug. Keep your humidor in good order on RH and temp, and you won't have a problem.

The eggs are in all your sticks, most likely. It's just a fact of life. Stay alert, manage your box well, and you'll be fine.

Plus, the eggs are deIcious!

[vinnyvega]

Box goes in two freezer bags. 5 days in the freezer and a day at room temp then in the humidor. This was passed on to me by men who have been doing this for a long time and they have never had a beetle outbreak.

[earthson]

I have been smoking for almost 9 years and have never had bug problem. Never used the freezer either. I realize I have been fortunate, but I do believe tobacco is fumigated at some point post-harvest. Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

As for the freezer killing the eggs, it would depend on the specific genus/species of the beetle and its tolerances. Coming from Cuba/Central America it may be highly susceptible to freezing temperatures or it may be one of those danged things that haven't evolved in millions of years because they're so resilient.

Guess we need an ID regarding which bug(s) are known to inhabit tobacco.