Shipped cigars, beetles, and boxes

[ribletman]

When receiving cigars that have been shipped to you, they may have been exposed to 80+ degree temps for a day or more. I am guessing that this can cause cigar beetles to hatch. But on the other hand, I see few posts of this happening to people so I do not know how big a worry this is.

I have recently purchased a few boxes of cigars from online vendors, and am wondering how much inspection I should do to catch a possible beetle infestation before I lost large numbers of cigars. I have not seen any evidence of beetles, and have never had beetles before... but have become worried due to recent pictures posted.

1. Do I take every cigar out of each box and fully inspect for holes?
2. Do I do that once a week for a few weeks?
3. How long does it take to know if a box of cigars has beetles?
4. Am I generally OK with a cursory top-layer inspection?
5. What do the long-time online box purchasers do?
6. Any problems with beetles?
7. Identified via immediate inspection or only months later after losing box?

I was also wondering, is it best to store boxes in the original box or lose?

Thanks.

[mrreindeer]

Hi Karl - I'm not a regular purchaser of boxes (actually just bought my first box last week) but I've heard that some companies freeze the boxes prior to shipping to eliminate any problems. But I'm curious to find out what others on here have to say since I've forgotten. Good questions!

One thing too....try not to get too obsessed about it because your haunting thoughts may work to ruin your pleasure with the hobby. When I got started up last year, I freaked out (not saying you're freaking out) about so many things. Now that I've got a decent temp/humidity controlled unit, I've learned to set it & forget it.

If I find beetles (and I did), I deal with 'em when I find them. No sense worrying for nothing.

Still, I'm curious what some guys on here do about layers of cigars they can't see.

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by ribletman

When receiving cigars that have been shipped to you, they may have been exposed to 80+ degree temps for a day or more. I am guessing that this can cause cigar beetles to hatch. But on the other hand, I see few posts of this happening to people so I do not know how big a worry this is.

I have recently purchased a few boxes of cigars from online vendors, and am wondering how much inspection I should do to catch a possible beetle infestation before I lost large numbers of cigars. I have not seen any evidence of beetles, and have never had beetles before... but have become worried due to recent pictures posted.

1. Do I take every cigar out of each box and fully inspect for holes?
2. Do I do that once a week for a few weeks?
3. How long does it take to know if a box of cigars has beetles?
4. Am I generally OK with a cursory top-layer inspection?
5. What do the long-time online box purchasers do?
6. Any problems with beetles?
7. Identified via immediate inspection or only months later after losing box?

I was also wondering, is it best to store boxes in the original box or lose?

Thanks.

1: I will usually open the box and check the cigars out top and bottom layer. I do this to look for any type of damage that may have occured either during shipping or packaging.
2: I usually just do it when I receive them but I usually look in the box when rummaging around in my cooler.
3: Not positive to be honest. I am sure if you keep an eye on your cigars you will detect them before any real damage is done.
4: Refer to #1
5: Wouldn't say I am a longtime online purchaser but the above (#1) is what I do.
6: Never
7: See above

I store in the original boxes as do most people I would think.

[K Baz]

Personally when I recieve a box I check for the general condition of the cigars.

I check the top layer then there is a little trick I use to check my bottom layer (I believe it has been discussed here before). With cubans I fold over the paper flap and invert the box then I open the box slightly. This allows me to get a little peak without disrupting the whole box.

As for the bettles I usually am not worried at that point. I put them into my isolation humi (cooler) I let mine sit in there for 2 weeks to a month. This is to get the humidity leveled out could be moist from the shipper but could be dry from the 10 + day transit. This also allows beetles to "develope" with out jepordizing my main stock. At this time I reinspect as per my previous looking for "beetle dust" in the box.

Now I am an advocate for freezing so once my RH has leveled off and they are at the proper RH I double bag and go into the fridge/freezer cycle. Not everyone does this but I feel with the amount of stock I have all in one location I could not risk the loss. I consider it insurance.

Now they say cuba freezes there stocks but there are still reports of beetles so its not fail safe. But it does make me feel better because if Cuba is freezing mine should be just fine too.

[SMOKE20]

Anytime I get a box I inspect it pretty good. Not just for beetles but as madurolover said, to check for damages during shipping or packaging

[Hemingway in Havana]

Originally Posted by ribletman

1. Do I take every cigar out of each box and fully inspect for holes?
2. Do I do that once a week for a few weeks?
3. How long does it take to know if a box of cigars has beetles?
4. Am I generally OK with a cursory top-layer inspection?
5. What do the long-time online box purchasers do?
6. Any problems with beetles?
7. Identified via immediate inspection or only months later after losing box?

I was also wondering, is it best to store boxes in the original box or lose?

Thanks.

1.) Yes!!! It is imperative to inspect every stick after shipment.
2.) I usually isolate the new cigars in their own humidor & leave them there for 2 weeks. I give them a cursory inspection every day & a detailed inspection once a week.
3.) Any cigar could have beetles. If you keep them stored adequately & away from excessive heat, everything should be okay.
4.) Examine every cigar from a new box. My new cigars will have been transferred to a "permanent" humidor after two weeks. I inspect every single cigar in every one of my humidors at the beginning of each month.
5.) I do not usually keep the cigars in their original box unless they are eventually placed in the wine fridge for storage.
6.) Thank the Lord, no!
7.) Never been in this situation & hopefully never am!!!

As somebody else posted, don't let a potential obsession with beetles ruin your enjoyment of this hobby. It may sound as if I myself go to great lengths with my cigars but I like to think that I have it down pat and have integrated it into my regular schedule. Cigars are probably a lot tougher than we give them credit for!

[Cypress]

I see lately that this is becoming an obsession. Never had a beetle in the 4 years I have been smoking.

[mrreindeer]

What's wrong, Sam? You're not an obsessed fan like the rest of us??

[karmaz00]

i freeze all incoming purchases

[Phantom57]

I have been smoking cigars almost forty years, and have had beetles once. I had gone on vacation, and let the ambient temp in the house get up to about 80 degrees. Cubans are the worst offenders, and I freeze all of them. NCs, I just open the box and give them a cursory inspection.