WTF?! Beetles? Seriously?

[Mossome]

I decided to re-arrange my desktop humi this afternoon. I moved some sticks and noticed some tobacco dust at the bottom of the top tray. It looked too fine to be just some tobacco that had crumbled out of the foot during normal jostling around. I noticed a pinhole just up from the foot of a stick, so I took it outside to examine it further. I tore into the foot by the hole and there he was, my greatest fear:

A damn beetle! He came out of a LP9 robusto I bought from a local B&M on 10/22/14, and has been parked in my desktop since. I wasn't really worried about beetles because it has never climbed above 71 degrees. I thought anything below 75 was supposed to be safe. What has happened and how do I prevent any future problems. All thoughts, advice, commiseration, or just plain mockery is welcome.
On a side note, anyone who has received cigars from me shouldn't be worried. All cigars gifted out have come from a seperate tupperdor, and were not purchased from the same store.

 

[UpInSmoke]

This is why I freeze everything

 

[joshthe6th]

It would need to be colder than 70 degrees. They can last in colder temps than that, but keeping them cool is always better. Also, the material, is it solid spanish cedar, or just a veneer? That would make a big difference.

 

[Mossome]

Unfortunately, it's only veneered. It is just a cheap starter humidor.

 

[joshthe6th]

That might be part of the issue. I am unsure on that, but it would not surprise me.

 

[sofc]

I'm no expert in humidity or beetles. But from what I've read, it has much to do with temperature and not as much to do with container/humidor.

 

[sofc]

and that stinks btw. Beetles are scary. I've gotten them in two cigars that came in the same batch of stuff I bought from a friend.

 

[boltman]

At what point in time can you consider yourself 'safe' from beetles? If you haven't seen any sign of beetles in 1 year, can you consider your smokes safe? Providing you don't add new cigars to your humi?

 

[jfettlol]

sucks man. doesn't DE freeze their stock before shipment?

 

[Tim H]

The really sucks.

 

[Bubb]

Oh man, I had a close call recently, a local B+M had a free cigar day and I stoped by. Nothing I was particularly interested in but I took one to go ( yes I bought some other sticks). When I got home I Noticed the telltale signs a small hole some crumbs in the baggie I froze and isolated, then out of curiosity dissected that stick bamn, damn that bad boy was full of crumbs and such, luckly it hadn't made it into my stash but oh so close. My first close call I will surly be more carefull in the future.

 

[Mossome]

I'm certainly not trying to cast any blame at DE. I've seen videos of their factory tour, and they seem very serious about infestation issues. The beetle could have jumped from any cigar in the B&M's humidor or mine as well. I only mentioned the make of the cigar to give full context of the situation in an effort to learn what I may have done wrong.

 

[jasonsbeer]

I have only had a beetle one time. I found him, dead, inside the cello of a Brickhouse Mighty Mighty. He did not escape. Close call for me.

I clipped an inch from the MIghty Mighty and smoked to my luck.

 

[danmdevries]

Haven't experienced a big scare (yet) but have been considering the possibility now that I've grown a substantial collection.

I did one time do a noob pif trade with someone on puff and received a bag of horribly infested smokes that were promptly dumped in my burn barrel out back. Never opened the bag.

 

[herfdog]

I decided to re-arrange my desktop humi this afternoon. I moved some sticks and noticed some tobacco dust at the bottom of the top tray. It looked too fine to be just some tobacco that had crumbled out of the foot during normal jostling around. I noticed a pinhole just up from the foot of a stick, so I took it outside to examine it further. I tore into the foot by the hole and there he was, my greatest fear:
View attachment 60056
A damn beetle! He came out of a LP9 robusto I bought from a local B&M on 10/22/14, and has been parked in my desktop since. I wasn't really worried about beetles because it has never climbed above 71 degrees. I thought anything below 75 was supposed to be safe. What has happened and how do I prevent any future problems. All thoughts, advice, commiseration, or just plain mockery is welcome.
On a side note, anyone who has received cigars from me shouldn't be worried. All cigars gifted out have come from a seperate tupperdor, and were not purchased from the same store.

The best course of action now is to freeze any cigar that may have entered in contact with anything that may have veen stored with the infested cigar or any coming from the same store.

Essentially, put your whole collection in the freezer for 2-3 days, then the fridge for a day, then get it in a tupperdore to get back to ok temp before restocking your humi.

Otherwise you cant know if theres more

 

[herfdog]

This is why I freeze everything

The mailman does it for us free of charge during winter here in canada!

 

[Zigarro]

It can happen anytime, to anyone of us. Is it possible the contamination happened at the B&M, or maybe from a cheaper stick in your humi? It's late tonight, but now, I'm gonna go through my whole stash! Thanks for shocking me outta my complaisance!

 

[Cigarth Vader]

Anything above 72* and you're at a substantially higher risk for beetles, at 70* they can still hatch, but less likely. Below 70* and *in theory* you should be safe. Freezing is the best way to be sure as it cracks the carapace and kills them. 36 hours in the freezer then a day in the fridge, followed by 12 hours at room temperature will get you back to being able to put them in the humi. Make sure you double bag them as well before going in the freezer, and as someone mentioned, if you can re humidify them separate from the humidor that's even better so they don't drop the RH in the humidor when you reintroduce them to your other sticks.

 

[sofc]

Anything above 72* and you're at a substantially higher risk for beetles, at 70* they can still hatch, but less likely. Below 70* and *in theory* you should be safe. Freezing is the best way to be sure as it cracks the carapace and kills them. 36 hours in the freezer then a day in the fridge, followed by 12 hours at room temperature will get you back to being able to put them in the humi. Make sure you double bag them as well before going in the freezer, and as someone mentioned, if you can re humidify them separate from the humidor that's even better so they don't drop the RH in the humidor when you reintroduce them to your other sticks.

Going straight to freezer might be dangerous.

 

[Cigarth Vader]

Going straight to freezer might be dangerous.

Most household freezers won't cool them fast enough to cause issue, but if you're concerned you can always go fridge first for a few hours to let them stabilize and then give them the cold treatment