Can we talk? About beetles.

[Shelby07]

There was a conversation about tobacco beetles in the cigar shop the other night. One of the guys said that, in truth, all cigars have beetle eggs. I have gotten hit in the past, but only from stuff that I got locally that were hand rolled. 

I don't think that all cigars contain beetle eggs. Perhaps they did in the past, but I’m pretty sure this has been successfully addressed by most major manufacturers, including Habanos. But I’d love to hear others comment on this.

Do most or all cigars contain beetle eggs?

[JGD]

My understanding is that many cigars contain beetle eggs. However, the cigars are frozen upon export, which kills the egg so it can’t hatch.

[cigcars]

      *Inside of a men's popular clothing outlet in Atlanta, they had a cigar room there - very, very sizable and varied with plenty of stock. The only problem was that whoever was in charge of it did not maintain the place very well...tobacco beetles and VERY visible. I stood there one day and just watched the voracious little bugger eating his way through and tunneling it with the speed of a hungry cartoon character eating his way through an animated food item. It was incredible. And, unfortunately, I had spent some extensively amount of time and money in that place previously. So, yes I was freezering and plastic bagging, and cleaning and wiping out nearly all my humidors in grudging sourness   Needless to say, that cigar room eventually got closed down.

[kalibratecuba]

Not all cigars have beetle eggs, but cigars can have eggs. Beetle problems happen even with NC. Arturo Fuente cigars had beetle problems last year. As a previous poster said, Cuba and cigar factories take measures to prevent this. It's not always successful.

The biggest concern in this group is custom rolled and cigars bought on the island.

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[Philc2001]

I believe that virtually every cigar has beetle eggs somewhere in the tobacco leaves within it. But not all beetle eggs are viable, and assuming the cigars are treated appropriately (frozen) all eggs are killed and they will never ever hatch.

It is my understanding that virtually all CCs for international export are frozen in Cuba before shipping. So there is rarely anything to worry about.

If you buy directly in Cuba, especially custom rolls, then freeze.

if your sources are dubious, then freeze.

If your cigars come from open boxes in retail operations, then freeze.

Enjoy your non-viable beetle eggs while you smoke


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[aphexafx]

3 minutes ago, Philc2001 said:

I believe that virtually every cigar has beetle eggs somewhere in the tobacco leaves within it. But not all beetle eggs are viable, and assuming the cigars are treated appropriately (frozen) all eggs are killed and they will never ever hatch. 

Pretty sure that's correct.  The eggs are everywhere; on every plant, and in every cigar.  Sweet dreams!   

[CaptainQuintero]

Yeah it seems to be much, much less of an issue nowadays. Cuba freezes everything that's leaving the island (I heard that they had introduced it for stuff going to Cuban stores too?) But obviously Cuba is Cuba, it certainly doesn't hurt to freeze stuff when you get it if your own storage could feasibly create the right conditions for eggs to hatch.

  Certainly customs need freezing

[AbasCigar]

1 hour ago, CaptainQuintero said:

Yeah it seems to be much, much less of an issue nowadays. Cuba freezes everything that's leaving the island (I heard that they had introduced it for stuff going to Cuban stores too?) But obviously Cuba is Cuba, it certainly doesn't hurt to freeze stuff when you get it if your own storage could feasibly create the right conditions for eggs to hatch.

  Certainly customs need freezing

Sorry for hijacking the thread but the last part scared me. What are the right conditions for eggs to hatch? Or maybe I should say: what are the wrong conditions for eggs to hatch?

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, AbasCigar said:

Sorry for hijacking the thread but the last part scared me. What are the right conditions for eggs to hatch? Or maybe I should say: what are the wrong conditions for eggs to hatch?

They hatch at 21 degrees C 70F and higher.   Even hatched they become largely immobile if you drop the temp to 18 Celsius 16 F. 

They seem to be happier the more humid it is. 

They love humidors 

[LLC]

Cuba does not use pesticides so it is quite likely there would be eggs. Cuba does freeze all stock regardless of if it is meant for export or local sales. However humidors in the shops or elsewhere in the supply chain can have custom cigars or leaves that are not treated so beetle outbreaks do occur.

Just out of an abundance of caution I freeze anything I buy in Cuba.


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[AbasCigar]

1 minute ago, El Presidente said:

They hatch at 21 degrees C 70F.   Even hatched they become largely imobile if you drop the temp to 18 celsius 16 F. 

They seem to be happier the more humid it is. 

They love humidors 

Oh what a nightmare it sounds like ?

I must get this fixed before summer.. Thanks for the info

[El Presidente]

Cuban divans/stores are full of beetles. 

Habanos can freeze as much as they like. The minute those boxes enter the stores/divans, they are open to re-infestation. 

Freeze everything from Cuba. 

[AbasCigar]

Execuse my ignorance. But when you say freeze everything from Cuba. Do you mean all Cuban cigars (including the stuff we get from 24:24 etc.) or only the ones bought directly in Cuba? 

 

 

 

[El Presidente]

4 hours ago, AbasCigar said:

Execuse my ignorance. But when you say freeze everything from Cuba. Do you mean all Cuban cigars (including the stuff we get from 24:24 etc.) or only the ones bought directly in Cuba? 

 

 

 

You should 100% freeze everything you bring out of Cuba. 

It is up to you whether to freeze stock from OS vendors. I don't freeze stock that I put aside for myself.  Let me run a poll on it. 

 

[Chef]

26 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

You should 100% freeze everything you bring out of Cuba. 

It is up to you whether to freeze stock from OS vendors. I don't freeze stock that I put aside for myself.  Let me run a poll on it. 

 

As a non-freezer, have you ever had to deal with an infestation?

[busdriver]

One of the best cigars I have smoked did have a beetle hole, unmistakablely,  in the side of it.  

[Nino]

8 hours ago, Chef said:

As a non-freezer, have you ever had to deal with an infestation?

Cannot agree more with @El Presidente.

I usually leave cigars in Havana for my next trip and this is the result of beetle infestation of CR Hector Luis cigars after leaving them unfrozen for about a year in the Havana heat and humidity ...

 

 

 

[Edward7]

I didn’t know that all of them have eggs to begin with. So nasty. 

I was gifted a box of CoRo oct 13 that actually sat in Cuba until last May. When I opened them each one had no less than 15 pinholes in each one. Everything else I’ve gotten from LCDH’s and 24:24 and I don’t freeze anything. Kind of didn’t think to after seeing it that time. 

[Jal154]

6 hours ago, nino said:

usually leave cigars in Havana for my next trip and this is the result of beetle infestation of CR Hector Luis cigars after leaving them unfrozen for about a year in the Havana heat and humidity ...

That is some crazy picture. Everything I currently have is from 24:24 and never freeze. Never had a problem like that. That’s heartbreaking! 

 

[gweilgi]

23 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Cuban divans/stores are full of beetles. 

Habanos can freeze as much as they like. The minute those boxes enter the stores/divans, they are open to re-infestation. 

Freeze everything from Cuba. 

Testify.

I have had several infestations over the years, and all bar one were traced back to stock that came out of Cuba and where I had had assurances that everything had been frozen not just once but twice -- by the Cubans and then the importer.  My suspicion is that either the Cubans or the importers are lying (freezing is expensive and time-consuming), that they do not do it properly, or -- most likely -- that importers commingle CC and NC stock in warehouses which may not all have received the frosty treatment.  

So far, though, stock that has come my way from sunny and humid Queensland has been happily beetle-free.  Long may it continue!  

[Piligrim]

if you buy anything in Spain and Italy it's better to freeze that as well. Especially from Spain. they have aged stock and high humidity and temperature at summertime, so beetles can easily live there.

[captain]

On 2/23/2019 at 11:48 PM, El Presidente said:

You should 100% freeze everything you bring out of Cuba. 

It is up to you whether to freeze stock from OS vendors. I don't freeze stock that I put aside for myself.  Let me run a poll on it. 

 

Pres...we should be freezing what’s we get from foh and 24;24 or not? 

 

Im confused

[cigcars]

On 2/24/2019 at 8:46 AM, nino said:

Cannot agree more with @El Presidente.

I usually leave cigars in Havana for my next trip and this is the result of beetle infestation of CR Hector Luis cigars after leaving them unfrozen for about a year in the Havana heat and humidity ...

 

 

 

         

                    SACRILEGE!!!!! 

[aphexafx]

 

21 minutes ago, captain said:

Pres...we should be freezing what’s we get from foh and 24;24 or not? 

 

Im confused

 

1) Everything that is exported via HSA, through the commercial distribution channels, is frozen prior to leaving the island, in order to kill insect eggs/larva.  This is what you buy from vendors online, including FOH/24:24, and from LCDH stores, and other legal retailers outside of Cuba.

2) The HSA branded cigars bought on the island are supposedly taken from this frozen stock, however no one really knows and some (most) people doubt it.

3) Custom and farm rolled cigars are not frozen.

 

So, 

2 and 3 you should ALWAYS freeze yourself.

1 has already been frozen and is probably fine, although some people freeze again anyway, to be sure, or at least add peace of mind.

?

[Fuzz]

I have never frozen anything from Rob, and considering the short journey from Brisbane to Sydney, it is hardly worth the effort.

I would never trust anything bought in Cuba, custom or regular production, being beetle free. Neither would I trust anything from any B&M humidor.