The Tobacco Beetle & Your Cigars

Tobacco beetles can not only eat your cigars down tothem to multiply. "I couldn't believe my eyes," he said.
dust, they can cost you a pretty penny. While not aHe lost hundreds of dollars on the coveted cigars " For
new pest for cigar lovers, it is the leading insect thata while I thought someone had opened the humidor or I
threatens stored tobacco. These critters do notthought someone had sold me a dud." But a friend
discriminate. They will attack tobacco at any stage ofexplained to him that Cuban cigars are the most prone
manufacturing, up to retail and travel to your humidor.to developing beetles because they don't fumigate
Though it is the most common, the tobacco beetle istheir tobacco. The don't take the same preventive
not the only predator that preys on tobacco. Severalmeasures as the other countries do. But if you do
other insects such as the tobacco moth, the tobaccohave Cuban Cigars beware!
worm and at least 12 other species of insects feed onBelow are steps to eradicate tobacco bugs in your
the plant. Many of these insects were trapped either inhumidor and how to prevent them from returning.:
tobacco factories, warehouses or found on cigars left1. First, double bag all the cigars that were in the
in room temperature inside homes.humidor with the contaminated cigars, even those
The tobacco beetle, which is larger than the cigarettewhich don't have holes. They probably have eggs and
beetle, is mainly a tropical species. It is identical to thelarvae. You can also use tupperware containers. One
cigarette beetle except that it is larger and is blackinside the other (Because of the extra moisture
instead of brown. The tobacco beetle attacks curedproduced by the freezing, the extra bag or container
tobacco in much the same way as the cigarettewill act as a deterrent for the moisture the freezing
beetle. The tobacco moth is sometimes a serious pestmight produce). In a regular frost free freezer the
of flue-cured tobacco on the farm, farmers say.temperature should be 10 F. to 15 F. above Zero. If in a
Infestation may begin even in the curing barn anddeep freezer the temperature should be -10 F. Keep
continue until the tobacco is marketed. Most damagethe cigars in the regular freezer for 30 days and in the
occurs in the pack-house, where the tobacco is bulkeddeep freezer for 15 days.
before being graded. Infestation may develop from2. While the cigars are in the freezer, clean your
moths flying from commercial storages or farmshumidor with a vacuum. Leave it empty and open for
nearby, or it may be already established on the farmat least a week. The bugs will die without its food
and carried over from year to year in scrap tobacco,source, the tobacco.
peas or beans, stock feeds or other host foods.3. When it is time to remove the cigars from the
Tobacco dealers and manufacturers constantlyfreezer, transfer them to the refrigerator for 24 hours.
practice insect-control measures and maintainsThen let your cigars reach room temperature as they
damage-free on insect infestations.sit outside for another day. Return your cigars to your
Having a humidor is not a guarantee as friend fromhumidor and humidify them again. Be patient, don't try
Davie found out. Despite stashing away his stogies into speed up this process.
his safe haven, he returned and found his Cubans with4. When ever you come across Cuban cigars freeze
holes like a strainer. That's because the illegal cigarsthem immediately, following the steps above. Better
were not properly cured and the insects were notsafe than sorry.
destroyed before the cigars were put away, allowingLong ashes everyone.