Tobacco Beetles and Baggies?

This one says something about tin foil and it is from University of Nebraska.

Cigarette and Drugstore Beetles. These are small robust beetles that infest a wide range of processed foods, including dry pet food, cereals, spices, drugs and other packages foods. They also attack tobacco. They can chew through tin foil and penetrate most food packaging materials.

http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftoct03.htm

I don't know if it is the same beetle?

[pnoon]

I read it on the internet. It must be true.

Originally Posted by pnoon

I read it on the internet. It must be true.

Well to be fair a University has more credibility than hill billy Joe writing out of his trailer parked in the middle of Texas using beer cans as makeshift antenna to get satellite internet.

Edit: It should be added though that you could be right and this information could be false. I am just saying that at least it is from a University instead of somewhere not as credible.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Go chew some tin foil and report back on how easy it is. I remember being a little dumb @## when I was little and doing that. Took me about 1/8th of a bite to learn

I'm sorry, to whom exactly is this statement directed?

I would hope you actually read the thread to see where the claims were being made before blindly jumping in with both feet.

I found a kind of cool study that looked at traces of metal in the mandibles of the cigar beetles. No mention of them chewing THROUGH metal though. I only skimmed it so someone with more time can look but doing a search for the word metal popped up alot of info on traces in their mandibles.

http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10...ND23316635.pdf

Edit:

This article suggests that they cannot eat through metal. (I am not saying the above does, I am just throwing some more articles and research out).

Store susceptible foods in insect-proof containers of glass, heavy plastic, or metal, ideally with screw-type lids, or store in a refrigerator or freezer. Use older packages before new ones, avoid spillage in cabinets, and always keep food-storage spaces clean. Properly ventilate the storage area to discourage these moisture-loving pests.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2083.html

[Zeuceone]

If a cigar has been aged for three years, would that be long enough for the eggs to die?

[icehog3]

Thank goodness for Google, now we know everythiing.

Originally Posted by icehog3

Thank goodness for Google, now we know everythiing.

Haha well in all fairness though some were from Universities. Which a step up from google but is by no means conclusive.

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by Wallbright

Haha well in all fairness though some were from Universities. Which a step up from google but is by no means conclusive.

put . . . the . . . shovel . . . down

Originally Posted by pnoon

put . . . the . . . shovel . . . down

Haha okay.

[Average Joe]

Originally Posted by Wallbright

I just read the hygros in the humi and they say 74 and 72 so not too bad but I hear the beetles start to be a problem close to 79-80 right?

Mine has been at 74 all summer with no problems. I freeze everything right when it comes in. I don't need tobacco beetles chewing through the steel supports in my basement.

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

I think I read on a website somewhere that they use static electricity to arc their way through metal. I'll try to find that link. Maybe Wikipedia.

Do you think they could arc their way through my head wear?

Originally Posted by T.G

I'm sorry, to whom exactly is this statement directed?

I would hope you actually read the thread to see where the claims were being made before blindly jumping in with both feet.

Really? I'm going to act like you didn't take my post that seriously.

[Devanmc]

Originally Posted by Bill86

I've never seen such pictures or claims of this before today.....Not saying it isn't true, but ....I'm pretty damn skeptical.

I'd love to see pictures, as mentioned by several members already.

Originally Posted by bobarian

Tobacco beetles CANNOT eat through metal. The "foil" used in cigar storage(Tat RC184, RyJ Cazadores, etc.) is paper with a thin metallic coating. I am still waiting for pics of beetles chewing through an aluminum tubo. I have seen many beetle holes in cigars from tubos, not one chewed its way through.

Originally Posted by T.G

There's a huge difference in thickness between the metal-foil discussed in those articles and the walls of a tubo Devan.

Originally Posted by Devanmc

im not saying its true becuase this is the interwebs but i did find multipule sources stating the bettles can eat threw, what amounts to, thin soft metals.

dont crucify me i found it on the interwebs, if could just be a myth.

and the others that followed

and i get crucified anyways...

I personally never said they could eat threw thick(tubo) metal. I specifically said "soft thin metals". Your interpretation that i said a tubo is wrong because well, i never said it. that is all,

Originally Posted by pnoon

put . . . the . . . shovel . . . down

+1

[688sonarmen]

Here are some close pics of my pet beetles. Unless they are a kin to billy goats I'm calling bs on the tubos.

[massphatness]

Originally Posted by Zeuceone

If a cigar has been aged for three years, would that be long enough for the eggs to die?

While I'm not an Entomologist, I don't believe it's long enough depending on the storage conditions of the cigars. I tried to research mortality rates for beetle eggs but couldn't come up with anything that spoke to how long they live at "normal" temps. Lots of data on the effects of extreme heat and cold, but not so much "room temperature" data.

I'm a better safe than sorry guy -- so I freeze EVERYTHING -- including my previously frozen sticks if I take them to a herf and someone hands me a cigar that I end up throwing in my herf-a-dor. I am NOT screwing with my collection if I can help it. It's one thing to have a box of cigars confiscated, but to lose a box (boxes) which have successfully made it into my humidor? I would kick my own ass into next week.

[Drez]

I've been looking into this beetle setting through a tube and mortality rates for the eggs and I too can't find much info on either at room temp.

I think it's widely agreed on that freezing everything is the best preventive mesure but it is still not a 100% percent that you will not have a beetle hatch and ruin a stick or 2.

I believe that if you choose to freeze everything you should still check your stock fromtime to time and make sure everything is still good. I "play" with my stash every few weeks and I use that time to look over some sticks, reorginize, and inspect my sticks.

Keep the temps as low as possible and the humidity in "range" and you should not have to worry about a beetle outbreak let alone them eatting through a tube.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Would love to see those pics.

Originally Posted by poker

Me too.

I have been searching and searching to find them. I cannot find them. Sorry guys.

I recall it being only like 2 or 3 pics of a silver tubo. With one small hole in it. Oh well.

[poker]

Originally Posted by Wallbright

Haha well in all fairness though some were from Universities. Which a step up from google but is by no means conclusive.

Many University studies aint all that bright either.

A study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that “people who bike or walk to work are more fit, less fat than drivers.”

[wayner123]

Ok, I think I found what I had remembered:



There is a small something or other on the tube above the "A" in Julieta. I can't say that it is a beetle hole. So I guess I remembered it wrong. My bad.

[Average Joe]

Originally Posted by wayner123

Ok, I think I found what I had remembered:



There is a small something or other on the tube above the "A" in Julieta. I can't say that it is a beetle hole. So I guess I remembered it wrong. My bad.

I ran a full CSI Miami analysis on the picture and it appears the hole was actually made by Luke Skywalker. From the reflection on the tubo it looks like the photographer had a sandwich for lunch and still had some lettuce on his mustache.

Originally Posted by poker

Many University studies ain't all that bright either.

Very true. Causation and correlation often times get confused with studies like the one you quoted.