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Our friends The Beetles

RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
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  • Shaun.Harrison87Shaun.Harrison87 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,971
    Was that your stash Rhamlin?
  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    Thank god no! I googled it.
  • LasabarLasabar Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,457
    AH! Why would you show those pictures!
  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    I figured I wasn't the only one who wanted to know what to look for and how much damage the can actually do. They can eat thru your box and even thru foil wrappers.?
  • grannejagranneja Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 382
    Scary but very interesting. Thanks for posting it.
  • RampMonkeyRampMonkey Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,808
    For the love of god, I wont be able to sleep after seeing that. No wonders I keep an eye on my sticks everyday. Just shown the misses what the bastages look like and now she understands why I'm always checking.
  • jr_p951jr_p951 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,121
    Thanks for the post Rhamlin! Great pics of the damage done by beetles!
  • skweekzskweekz Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,218
    RampMonkey:
    now she understands why I'm always checking.


    Your wife says that too? "I don't know why you have to keep looking in there so much everyday!" Mehh....women!
  • JudoChinXJudoChinX Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 775
    Queue another beetle nightmare...
  • ENFIDLENFIDL Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,836
    It cuts so deep! Ohhhh the insanity!
  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    Those were some of the tamer pics I found. It was really sad seeing the ones of whole humidors destroyed. Guess I'll tell my wife we can't go to Hawaii next summer. Someone has to be home to keep an eye out for them critters.
  • beatnicbeatnic Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,133
    Ewe. Can they get out of the monitor?
  • HeavyHeavy Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,590
    The horror.......the horror.....the horror.....
  • jlmartajlmarta Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,440
    Somebody said in a post not long ago that beetle holes were perfectly round. These pix sure show otherwise.
  • Gurkha Man!Gurkha Man! Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 232
    jlmarta:
    Somebody said in a post not long ago that beetle holes were perfectly round. These pix sure show otherwise.
    +1 but man this is crazy! im going to need a completely see threw humidor!
  • grannejagranneja Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 382
    The pictures definitely make you nervous. I showed it to my wife last night and her response was "oh my...thats why you check on them so much."
  • BigT06BigT06 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,899
    I HATE THOSE THINGS!!!!
  • fla-gypsyfla-gypsy Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,023
    There will be no rest for the weary now for weeks! Dang it!
  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    Yes it does. I thought the same thing when I saw them.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    A little horror show for the newbs.
  • camgfscamgfs Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 967
    I've been around cigars for a while, and yes, a couple of my sticks have had beetles! The sticks were gifted to me and within a week or 2 I noticed a couple holes in one of them. What is interresting is that once you see the hole, you have no idea how much damage has been done 'inside' the cigar. If you've ever seen a pine tree that has been damaged by the Spruce Pine Bug, it's the same sort of idea. That beetle that crawled out of the cigar has eaten it's way out, and left channels inside your stick from the tobacco that it ate. Guaranteed your stick won't be "plugged" or have a tight draw after that, lol.

    Thankfully I caught it early and saved all but those 2 sticks....and yup, I had nightmares for weeks after.

  • CharlieCordusCharlieCordus Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 84
    I also had a couple of sticks with beetles. I was such a noob I didn't realize and smoked them. What a god-aweful taste. One was a $30 cigar so I tried to tough it out awhile. Sicker than a dog afterwards. Realized later that hole was from a beetle! I apparently got them out of my humi before infecting the others as I have had no problems since. I freeze all my shipments now.
  • CvilleECvilleE Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,177
    CharlieCordus:
    I also had a couple of sticks with beetles. I was such a noob I didn't realize and smoked them. What a god-aweful taste. One was a $30 cigar so I tried to tough it out awhile. Sicker than a dog afterwards. Realized later that hole was from a beetle! I apparently got them out of my humi before infecting the others as I have had no problems since. I freeze all my shipments now.
    I've heard a few people mention on here that they freeze the sticks to rid the beetles, but does that really solve anything? Seems it would affect the cigar's flavor as well.
  • J.S.J.S. Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 751
    Freezing does not effect the flavor at all. The key is to start by placing them in the frig for about 24 hrs. then in the freezer then back into the frig again. Do this with the freezer bags and it will be fine. This kills any live beetles and may destroy the eggs too. Some big online retailers freeze the shipment when it arrives to them others don't.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    I recentl read an article on beetles that said the best way to kill beetles and destroy the eggs is by putting the sticks in a vacuum this crushes the offending beetles and eggs. Evidentaly freezing doesn't do much to the eggs. Most of your cigar makers use this process according to the article.
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,144
    Rhamlin:
    I recentl read an article on beetles that said the best way to kill beetles and destroy the eggs is by putting the sticks in a vacuum this crushes the offending beetles and eggs. Evidentaly freezing doesn't do much to the eggs. Most of your cigar makers use this process according to the article.
    ... By the time the eggs and beetles are crushed, won't the wrappers be cracked pretty badly as well ? I don't think I would abuse my cigars that much.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    I wondered about that to. Looked into it more and they use a big room so I guess it doesn't put pressure on the sticks themselves. I'm sure if I tried it with a vacuum bag it would probably break the stick. It's got me curious now I might go get a black and mild to test it out.
  • J.S.J.S. Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 751
    Yes, a vacuum is the only way to kill the eggs effectively. If you decide you want to do this I would think you would need something like a pump and seal system that is used for food storage. I have to admit that I have not done this myself with a cigar. I have with pipe tobacco but that is very different.
  • LasabarLasabar Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,457
    J.S.:
    Yes, a vacuum is the only way to kill the eggs effectively. If you decide you want to do this I would think you would need something like a pump and seal system that is used for food storage. I have to admit that I have not done this myself with a cigar. I have with pipe tobacco but that is very different.
    Some cigar manufacturer's ship their cigars vacuum sealed... They don't claim it's for beetles, but no air means no drying out of the sticks... I've used this method and have had no problems at all
  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    Cool, good to know. Thanks for the feedback.
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