Beetle Outbreak!

[Scottw]

Pics? I dont know what beetle poop looks like, now i'm going to run and stare at my humis

[Pass]

Originally Posted by Scottw

Pics? I dont know what beetle poop looks like, now i'm going to run and stare at my humis

Not sure what beetle poop looks like either... but I do know what a cigar with beetle holes in it looks like

[akumushi]

Originally Posted by Pass

Not sure what beetle poop looks like either... but I do know what a cigar with beetle holes in it looks like

If you've seen termite poop, imagine that only much smaller and finer, like a fine, dark brown dirt, and you have beetle poop. If you suspect beetles are working on a cigar, tap it foot down on a piece of white paper. If that fine black powder comes sprinkling out, then you've got a big problem. The holes look like someone went at your cigar with a dentists' drill.

@ Moses, yes the first thing I noticed was the tell-tale beetle $hit at the bottom of my humi last week when I was putting some recent acquisitions at the bottom. I tried to dismiss it as paranoia, but then the other day I was looking for some smokes to pack up for our 4th of July weekend trip and I found a couples sticks with several holes in them. That was enough for me to give them all the freeze treatment.

As far as conditions go, the humidity is fine, I have a brand new, recently calibrated hygro and HCM beads so the humidor stays pegged at 65%. Temperature is another story. Summers in Southern California are hot and most houses on the coast don't have central air, so as long as I'm too broke for a vinotemp, the temperature is out of my control, and it isn't pretty. The coolest room in the house is at 75* and by the heat of summer it will be in the low 80's inside my humi. I've used the same humidor for almost 3 years and this is my first outbreak, so I guess I'm actually lucky. Been doing a lot of trading lately, so I guess the little buggers hitched a ride in a flat rate box

I have always avoided freezing cause I'm lazy, impatient and I was worried about ruining my cigars, but now that I've had to do my whole collection, it'll be a no brainer to do a quick freeze on all future purchases and trades.

[Pass]

Originally Posted by akumushi

If you've seen termite poop, imagine that only much smaller and finer, like a fine, dark brown dirt, and you have beetle poop. If you suspect beetles are working on a cigar, tap it foot down on a piece of white paper. If that fine black powder comes sprinkling out, then you've got a big problem. The holes look like someone went at your cigar with a dentists' drill.

@ Moses, yes the first thing I noticed was the tell-tale beetle $hit at the bottom of my humi last week when I was putting some recent acquisitions at the bottom. I tried to dismiss it as paranoia, but then the other day I was looking for some smokes to pack up for our 4th of July weekend trip and I found a couples sticks with several holes in them. That was enough for me to give them all the freeze treatment.

As far as conditions go, the humidity is fine, I have a brand new, recently calibrated hygro and HCM beads so the humidor stays pegged at 65%. Temperature is another story. Summers in Southern California are hot and most houses on the coast don't have central air, so as long as I'm too broke for a vinotemp, the temperature is out of my control, and it isn't pretty. The coolest room in the house is at 75* and by the heat of summer it will be in the low 80's inside my humi. I've used the same humidor for almost 3 years and this is my first outbreak, so I guess I'm actually lucky. Been doing a lot of trading lately, so I guess the little buggers hitched a ride in a flat rate box

I have always avoided freezing cause I'm lazy, impatient and I was worried about ruining my cigars, but now that I've had to do my whole collection, it'll be a no brainer to do a quick freeze on all future purchases and trades.

Nope never seen termite poop. Been fortunate to keep those bastages away from my house!! But the first thing I noticed was the cigar I was going to smoke had those precision holes in it. I was like WTF? Did this thing get stuck with something? About that same second I realized precisely what it was and began frantically inspecting my collection. It is a meager beginner's collection so far, but I've taken time and plenty of money to get what I do have... and to loose it all now?

Any way. I only found one other with a hole - had a hole through the celo as well. No others had any holes or holes in celo at all. But I sweat to God, every ridge, bump, or imperfection in every cigar had me thinking larva beneath the wrapper.

I acclimated my sticks overnight in the fridge and now they are in the freezer. I'm going to get some more distilled water today and wipe it down, after vacuuming it.

What have I learned? 2 things: 1) find a new place for my humidor so that the temp won't go above 73 - harder than it sounds!! 2) get another humidor to place all new sticks in until after they've arrived and been frozen.

Optional 3rd - Get a wine cooler for a humidor.

[Savor the Stick]

Originally Posted by akumushi

If you've seen termite poop, imagine that only much smaller and finer, like a fine, dark brown dirt, and you have beetle poop. If you suspect beetles are working on a cigar, tap it foot down on a piece of white paper. If that fine black powder comes sprinkling out, then you've got a big problem. The holes look like someone went at your cigar with a dentists' drill.

@ Moses, yes the first thing I noticed was the tell-tale beetle $hit at the bottom of my humi last week when I was putting some recent acquisitions at the bottom. I tried to dismiss it as paranoia, but then the other day I was looking for some smokes to pack up for our 4th of July weekend trip and I found a couples sticks with several holes in them. That was enough for me to give them all the freeze treatment.

As far as conditions go, the humidity is fine, I have a brand new, recently calibrated hygro and HCM beads so the humidor stays pegged at 65%. Temperature is another story. Summers in Southern California are hot and most houses on the coast don't have central air, so as long as I'm too broke for a vinotemp, the temperature is out of my control, and it isn't pretty. The coolest room in the house is at 75* and by the heat of summer it will be in the low 80's inside my humi. I've used the same humidor for almost 3 years and this is my first outbreak, so I guess I'm actually lucky. Been doing a lot of trading lately, so I guess the little buggers hitched a ride in a flat rate box

I have always avoided freezing cause I'm lazy, impatient and I was worried about ruining my cigars, but now that I've had to do my whole collection, it'll be a no brainer to do a quick freeze on all future purchases and trades.

Ouch! Sorry you got hit.
Feel for you buddy, sorry this happened to you.

Temp killed you. I went through a summer in Temecula, CA (Desert) and even with air conditioner going I would still edge into the low 80's inside. I never got Beetles!--Here is what I did--I put everything into the Big Igloo coolers---several layers of towels, I don't want the moisture on the cigars, ice (blue gel) packs on top of the towels-I changed the towels and the cold packs every morning and evening....what a pain...but no buggies munching on my stuff.
maybe you can work something out like that for 3 1/2 months of the summer. It worked for me.

---You do have to be careful and watch for mold---too much moisture...but I would rather have mold then beetles. Oh I never got mold on anything that summer.

Best of luck!

[bsmokin]

Originally Posted by Savor the Stick

I went through a summer in Temecula, CA (Desert) ...

Temecula, CA!? That must have been an awesome place to live. Just curious, what did you do there?

Sorry to hear about the beetles man. Good luck with squashing the problem

[Ferrari5180]

Fortunately, I never have gotten beetles, even though my humidor is usually at 76 F and 74% since it gets really humid here in Montreal. However, I have heard some people getting them at lower temperatures that would seem normal for some. As for solutions, some people vaccume their humidors, others seal them and freeze them all together, humidor included. Others use distilled water cleaners. Some go as far as to replace the humidor. All I can say is good luck to you sir.

[Savor the Stick]

Originally Posted by bsmokin

Temecula, CA!? That must have been an awesome place to live. Just curious, what did you do there?

Sorry to hear about the beetles man. Good luck with squashing the problem

I was there from 03 to the beginning of 09. I was pest control specialist for a 47 acre Conference center.

It was interesting.