I got beetles-what to do?

[Robb01]

I just got home from a weekend trip, apparently someone left my humi open while i was gone ( little sister most likely), when i found it the temp was at 77. I noticed several of the cigars had small holes in them, they were nearly perfectly circular. Im not sure exactly where the cigars came from or which one was affected first. I googled pictures of cigar beetles and it looks just like my cigars, what should i do? I took out the cigars that were affected and tossed them, but what should i do about all the other cigars in the humi? Im really not sure how long the humi was open and when the beetles first started

im really at a loss here, i dont want to lose my whole assortment, ~50 cigars. Hopefully theres a way to save them

[sirxlaughs]

Originally Posted by Robb01

I just got home from a weekend trip, apparently someone left my humi open while i was gone ( little sister most likely), when i found it the temp was at 77. I noticed several of the cigars had small holes in them, they were nearly perfectly circular. Im not sure exactly where the cigars came from or which one was affected first. I googled pictures of cigar beetles and it looks just like my cigars, what should i do? I took out the cigars that were affected and tossed them, but what should i do about all the other cigars in the humi? Im really not sure how long the humi was open and when the beetles first started

im really at a loss here, i dont want to lose my whole assortment, ~50 cigars. Hopefully theres a way to save them

I found a beetle hole in one cigar in a cab of 50. I tossed the one with the hole, and froze everything else.
I put everything in ziplock freezer bags, freezer for 2 days, fridge for one, room temp for a few hours, and then back in the humi. I haven't had any reappearance of holes since. The cigars are also smoking just the way I remember them. So, there's no adverse effect on the smoking experience (give them time to rest and acclimate after freezing, though). I started sequentially freezing most of my other stuff out of sheer paranoia.

[68TriShield]

Originally Posted by sirxlaughs

I found a beetle hole in one cigar in a cab of 50. I tossed the one with the hole, and froze everything else.
I put everything in ziplock freezer bags, freezer for 2 days, fridge for one, room temp for a few hours, and then back in the humi. I haven't had any reappearance of holes since. The cigars are also smoking just the way I remember them. So, there's no adverse effect on the smoking experience (give them time to rest and acclimate after freezing, though). I started sequentially freezing most of my other stuff out of sheer paranoia.

He's correct! Follow his directions to a T.Been there done that too..Dave

[68TriShield]

Originally Posted by dlevine1

He's correct! Follow his directions to a T.Been there done that too..Dave

Doh! wrong little guy... Sorry about that...Dave

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by sirxlaughs

I put everything in ziplock freezer bags, freezer for 2 days, fridge for one, room temp for a few hours, and then back in the humi. I haven't had any reappearance of holes since. The cigars are also smoking just the way I remember them. So, there's no adverse effect on the smoking experience (give them time to rest and acclimate after freezing, though). I started sequentially freezing most of my other stuff out of sheer paranoia.

Freeze, brother freeze!

NCRM

[Zenistar]

Never had a case of beetle and touch wood, I wont. Freezer is your friend though.

[RJT]

Originally Posted by sirxlaughs

I found a beetle hole in one cigar in a cab of 50. I tossed the one with the hole, and froze everything else.
I put everything in ziplock freezer bags, freezer for 2 days, fridge for one, room temp for a few hours, and then back in the humi. I haven't had any reappearance of holes since. The cigars are also smoking just the way I remember them. So, there's no adverse effect on the smoking experience (give them time to rest and acclimate after freezing, though). I started sequentially freezing most of my other stuff out of sheer paranoia.

What he said. RJT

[Robb01]

got them in ziploc bags and they are in the freezer, thanks

[[OT] Loki]

see my post on OT for the proper follow up for the sister

[mrputts]

I'm scared of getting beetles big time.

I was freezing my incoming cigars for a day then putting them into the fridge for a day before laying to rest in my humidor. But unfortunately I blew up my minifridge last weekend and I have been unable to do so.

I just got my 10 cigars from tobacco leaf (longashes2u.com) so I'm going to keep my eye on them like a hawk.

[mosesbotbol]

I hope buying SLB's keep the beetles contained if there is an outbreak. I had beetles about 10 years ago and it was a heartbreaker. I think the humidty with the high temp is more an issue than just the high temp. Becareful not to get them too humid in the summer. I don't even have the humidity element in the Aristrocrat and it's been staying in the low 60% so far.

Freeze all incoming cigars from here on in before your humidor...

[kenstogie]

In bags and Freeze, some do it twice.
After freezing, thaw in fridge was the advice I got So there are not any sudden changes.

[montecristo#2]

I've read 3 days in the freezer from multiple difference sources, then pretty much what everyone else has said. I do 1 day in refrigerator followed by 1 day at RT then back into the humi, let sit for a couple of weeks before smoking.

I freeze all incoming cigars before they go into my humidors. I have troubles keeping the temp below 73-74F during the summer, at least it gets closer to 65F at night.

I don't believe the humidity really has that much to do with it, I believe it is all temperature. I read somewhere that all stages of beetle development are dormant below 65F. So if you have viable larvae or eggs in the cigars and the temperature increases above 65F you can get outbreaks. Some large retailers freeze all of their cigars so they don't get an outbreak in their warehouses and destroy their inventory. Most growers also treat for beetles from what I have read. Some people keep their wine coolers set to 65F, supposedly the cigars don't age as fast, but the chance of outbreaks is reduced.

If you do a search for beetles, you will find at least 15-20 posts, most of them have pretty good information.

[sgoselin]

Send them all to me. I'll take care of it. LOL!

[audio1der]

It all depends how cold your freezer is. Because you actually had a beetle outbreak, I'd leave the sticks in the freezer for 4+ days, then a day in the fridge (still ziplocked/wrapped) then a few days in the humi still wrapped.
You CANNOT be too careful.
Beetles