Cigar Beetle Infestation

[brugen]

I have a large humidor with boxes and single cigars. Tonight I noticed the tell tale signs of the dreaded cigar beetle with bore holes in some of the single cigars.

I know the solution is 1 day fridge, 3 days freezer, one day fridge (unless anyone has better advice).

The reason for this post is what has to go in the freezer? Single cigars obviously. I also have dress boxes, slide lid boxes and a large number of Quintero Brevas in cardboard boxes but the cigars are wrapped in aluminium foil.

Do they all have to go in the freezer, and if so. should they be deboxed first?

Thanks for any advice.

brugen

[TheMonk]

I freeze with the boxes. With singles, I carefully place them in an hermetic container, and that goes inside a hermetic plastic bag, and then I do my usual routine 2+4+2 routine.

[brugen]

Thanks for that David.

By 2+4+2 do you mean 2 days fridge, 4 days freezer and 2 days fridge?

brugen

[cj121]

Sound advice from the Monk. I've cling film wrapped boxes with good results also. Liberally wrapped mind

[cj121]

Thanks for that David.

By 2+4+2 do you mean 2 days fridge, 4 days freezer and 2 days fridge?
brugen

Welcome to the forums Brugen
It would be cool if you popped into the newbie greets section and introduced yourself when you get a few minutes

[SHAMZ84]

Do you know if the beetles hatched recently??
I would have assumed summer would be when they would hatch...rather than now in the cold??

If its recently i'll make sure i keep and close eye on my stash...i'm guessing CH could cause them to hatch.

hope your stash is recoverable!!!

[TheMonk]

Thanks for that David.
By 2+4+2 do you mean 2 days fridge, 4 days freezer and 2 days fridge?
brugen

You're welcome and yes, that's my routine. I know some people make it shorter, sometimes even bypassing the first stay in the fridge, but I prefer to be on the safe side.

[brugen]

Do you know if the beetles hatched recently??
I would have assumed summer would be when they would hatch...rather than now in the cold??

If its recently i'll make sure i keep and close eye on my stash...i'm guessing CH could cause them to hatch.

hope your stash is recoverable!!!

I think it would have been the central heating. Although I've got humidity control in the humidor I don't have temperature control and Mrs brugen likes to keep the house warm.

When cleaning out the humi I came across one little beastie which I dispatched with great pleasure. All cigars now sitting in the freezer and hopefully they will be saved.

[SHAMZ84]

Just a tip...if heating is a problem look for a cooler place in the house....I now have my humi in my cupboard at the bottom...stay quite cool in there...even in the summer.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[brugen]

Just a tip...if heating is a problem look for a cooler place in the house....I now have my humi in my cupboard at the bottom...stay quite cool in there...even in the summer.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

The humidor is in my study which is north facing. Normally I have the radaiator turned off but with the recent cold snap I turned it on and left it on not thinking about my cigars. Always good to be reminded that actions have consequences!

Now turned off and will remain so.

Thanks

[Shaun]

I freeze with the boxes. With singles, I carefully place them in an hermetic container, and that goes inside a hermetic plastic bag, and then I do my usual routine 2+4+2 routine.

Do you freeze all your cigars?

[trying]

Reading this and comments like 'usual routine', such outbreaks sound quite common I'd always understood that not to be so?...

[PeeJay]

[QUOTE=trying;358708]Reading this and comments like 'usual routine', such outbreaks sound quite common I'd always understood that not to be so?...[/QUOTE

As a general rule of thumb you should only need to freeze cigars bought at source, everything that's exported is treated first.

[tippexx]

To kill the larvae requires -4C or below.

Thing to remember. Lasioderma serricorne to give tobacco beetles their proper name are titchy and fly. The common name, although they are a tobacco nuisance, isn't quite right because they are equally adapted to live on cereals, pulses and any organic vegetation and were around for millions of years before anyone thought of drying tobacco leave and rolling them into something. Their temperature range is tropic to temperate, a UK winter indoors is survivable, so it's a reasonably safe bet that some larders, cupboards and food processing plants in the UK will the little buggers.

[Shaun]

As a general rule of thumb you should only need to freeze cigars bought at source, everything that's exported is treated first.

True, but given the lack of quality control that goes into the cigars, can you really trust them to do it properly?