Cigars 101: The Tobacco Beetle
By Mariana Heredia
The tobacco or cigarette beetle gets its name from attacking stored cigars and your stash is no exception. An infestation may occur if a female tobacco beetle finds a home in your humidor, she will chew her way through the wrappers of your cigars and lay eggs. It’s then the larvae that feast on the tobacco in your cigars leaving behind a pinhole-sized circle in their wake. Continue reading to find out more about the tobacco beetle life cycle and how to get rid of them.
Tobacco beetles life cycle
These beetles are tiny, only 2-3 millimeters long once fully grown, but are extremely hungry and destructive.
With a lifespan between 2-4 weeks, these beetles thrive in warm, humid climates. The female beetle lays about 100 eggs directly on tobacco to ensure larvae will have a meal once they hatch eggs. It takes the eggs to turn into larvae 6-10 days and grow no longer than the head of a pin. Infestation from these beetles takes place in a wide variety of products: books, cereal, spices, and most importantly tobacco.
Tobacco beetles in cigars
The most visible signs of tobacco beetles are the adults, holes in packaging, and debris coming out of packages. Adults are active fliers and are observed as small brown beetles. As they exit from infested cigars, they often chew their way free, which leaves holes in the packaging. It’s actually common for cigars to host beetle eggs, however, the eggs require specific conditions in order to hatch. They can be transferred into your humidor by other cigars you have purchased or been given that contain beetle eggs. To avoid this at all costs we recommend buying at Cigar Country with top quality control supervision and the best cigars on the market.
Getting rid of the beetles
Once you’ve spotted holes it’s best to separate your cigars and place them inside Ziploc bags. Proceed to freeze them for 3 days inside the Ziploc bags, this will kill the larvae and beetles as they can’t withstand low temperatures. After 3 days have passed move your cigars from the freezer to the fridge and leave them for 24 hours. Do not place them inside your humidor as the temperature shock could ruin your cigars. After 24 hours clean out your humidor to remove any beetles left behind. You are now safe to place your cigars back in the humidor.
For more suggestions on facing tobacco beetles in your cigar stash make sure to contact Cigar Country via our contact form or live chat.
About Cigar Country
Located in the heart of the Dominican Republic’s tourist region (halfway between Punta Cana and Santo Domingo), our Megastore in La Romana is by far the largest premium cigar store in the Caribbean. Our 2,000+ square feet humidor features the finest handmade Dominican cigars from the most respected manufacturers in the world. Cigar Country’s Experts will guide you through the VegaFina cigar-making experience and assist you in choosing the right cigar for you. Whether it’s for your personal consumption or gifting, we have the widest selection you will ever find at the best DUTY-FREE prices. You will feel at home in our cozy lounging areas and notoriously friendly staff. Hope to have you visit soon. You can also call, chat, or email to contact Cigar Country!