Reminder on Beetles and Customs

[Smallclub]

We. Must. Maintain. Accuracy. At. All. Times. Whimsy. Is. Verboten. (In my best K-9 voice a la Dr Who)

never mind

[LeafLover]

This illustration is nice but completely inaccurate: the larvae eat tobacco and punch holes. The adults (as pictured) fly away - if they're not stuck inside a box or humidor…

Dear Sir,

With all due respect, do you think your response was kind of a downer? The poster was trying to add humor and lightness to this thread, yet you remark a fallacy in his attempt.

We do appreciate your knowledge and expertise in the cigar world as you have displayed in many of your posts. But I can't help but mention something to you as your reply is just to me...bad form.

You may be reading this and thinking I should go F myself and you can say whatever you want in he internet world. But in the universe of karma, perhaps it might serve you better to be less..well, for the lack of a better word..of a downer in your responses.

Anyway, do your thing.

Respectfully,

An observer

[Smallclub]

With all due respect, do you think your response was kind of a downer? The poster was trying to add humor and lightness to this thread, yet you remark a fallacy in his attempt.

Are you serious? All that because I made a, let say, "technical" comment about a picture (which I find funny, btw)?

You sir, are quite the negative nelly lately.

btw, what about some posters who constantly grumble and lament about CCs today, HSA, the cost of cigars, the widespread ignorance of certain issues, etc. I don't recall you making any comment about "karma".

I'll put that down to the Saturday night's "relaxation"…

[oliverdst]

Dear Sir,

With all due respect, do you think your response was kind of a downer? The poster was trying to add humor and lightness to this thread, yet you remark a fallacy in his attempt.

We do appreciate your knowledge and expertise in the cigar world as you have displayed in many of your posts. But I can't help but mention something to you as your reply is just to me...bad form.

You may be reading this and thinking I should go F myself and you can say whatever you want in he internet world. But in the universe of karma, perhaps it might serve you better to be less..well, for the lack of a better word..of a downer in your responses.

Anyway, do your thing.

Respectfully,

An observer

[Ryan]

Ok guys, everyone, take it easy please.

No more negative comments from anyone towards anyone.

Keep the thread on track, it's good advice.

I've had a beetle or two in custom rolls myself, bought in Cuba.

Like some others, I don't freeze everything, because I'm lazy, no other reason, but I keep custom roll cigars separately in a cool part of my house now.

[Smallclub]

A bit of precision: theorically, both the larvae and the adult can feed on your cigars. But, I have never seen, nor don't know anyone who has seen, an adult ALIVE in a box or a cab. It's the larvæ that live inside the cigar, feed on it and punches holes (to say hello?).

[...]

Does anybody know what the adult feed on, or whether it doesn't eat at all (like many insects that mate then die, including entire families of moths)?

Does it pupate inside cigars or outside? If it pupates inside, the newly hatched adult would emerge from the cigar to find a mate...

[LLC]

The only thing I freeze is customs and even then will keep them bagged and tagged for a couple of months.

[Habana Mike]

A bit of precision: theorically, both the larvae and the adult can feed on your cigars. But, I have never seen, nor don't know anyone who has seen, an adult ALIVE in a box or a cab. It's the larvæ that live inside the cigar, feed on it and punches holes (to say hello?).

I found what I believe to have been an adult alive in a box a few years back. It was still moving when I executed it with a miniature flamethrower.

Looked just like this: and was about this size: 0

Only had one hole in one cigar, which I promptly burned while isolating the remainder.

I've been fortunate to not have seen another, or evidence of any, since that time and hope I never do!

[Smallclub]

I found what I believe to have been an adult alive in a box a few years back.

That's definitly an adult, that can fly. I have seen several, all dead. On two occurences (Bolivar pc bought in Spain, JLpc from the grey market), one cigar in the box had 2 or 3 holes, no sign of any larvae still alive, but one dead body of an adult.

[Habana Mike]

That's definitly an adult, that can fly. I have seen several, all dead. On two occurences (Bolivar pc bought in Spain, JLpc from the grey market), one cigar in the box had 2 or holes, no sign of any larvae still alive, and the dead body of an adult.

Yeah, I think I must have caught it shortly after exiting the cigar....

[Smallclub]

We. Must. Maintain. Accuracy. At. All. Times. Whimsy. Is. Verboten. (In my best K-9 voice a la Dr Who)

Since you're a specialist in these things, please tell us about your experience of Lasiodermae infestation.

[oliverdst]

oh, boy, he simply can't help himself

[Pedro2486]

oh, boy, he simply can't help himself

[mncz]

Yep, gotta watch out for those beetles...

THAT is bloody hilarious.

[Smallclub]

oh, boy, he simply can't help himself

You neither, obviously.

[backslide]

Thanks for the advice! I'm getting some Johnny-Os in the mail soon so I will be freezing them for sure.

John stated to freeze his cigars awhile ago. Due to beetle problems. I'm sure it won't hurt to do it again though.

[kjellfrick]

Saw a nice family of adult beetles in a R&J box once in a walk in in Spain. When I pointed them out to the girl she killed them with her thumb...

[DoubleDD]

John stated to freeze his cigars awhile ago. Due to beetle problems. I'm sure it won't hurt to do it again though.

And if he doesn't have time to freeze them he'll let you know. My last batch wasn't frozen prior to shipping so he told me to make sure I did.

[CanuckSARTech]

Rob, this was a great reminder to people. And for those that asked the questions, generally follow the 2 days fridge, 2 days freezer (deep freezer, or a fridge freezer that's capable of hitting below -6 degrees celcius I believe), and then 2 days back in the fridge. Seal the boxes beforehand in a freezer ziplock-type bag to keep out any smells.

Any further questions, there's a number of threads about this if you do a search. All of this is based on a research paper years ago that studied the kill eficiacy of freezing on tobacco beetles.

[CanuckSARTech]

As for the rest of this thread....wow.

A bit of precision: theorically, both the larvae and the adult can feed on your cigars. But, I have never seen, nor don't know anyone who has seen, an adult ALIVE in a box or a cab. It's the larvæ that live inside the cigar, feed on it and punches holes (to say hello?).

AND as we've discussed in the past many times before, there can be and some of us have. I know that others' experiences don't matter much to some. But there are some of us who have. On multiple occasions.

I can't find it right now, but during our November 2012 trip, we noticed some custom cigars with holes. ON VIDEO, we cut open the affected cigar, and found multiple larvae and multiple adult tobacco beetles INSIDE the cigar. So, that, IMO, yet again, throws "theorically" out the window.

[Maplepie]

I can't find it right now, but during our November 2012 trip, we noticed some custom cigars with holes. ON VIDEO, we cut open the affected cigar, and found multiple larvae and multiple adult tobacco beetles INSIDE the cigar. So, that, IMO, yet again, throws "theorically" out the window.

this video was made from YOU!!?!?

Good show

Addendum: Youtube commenting sampler:

MrJjnor 7 months ago said: "what r u talking about best having the cigars frozen, yo udont know s**t about cigars!!!"

Paladin1352 responds: "You ARE supposed to freeze them, you uneducated t**tnozzle."

[CanuckSARTech]

The video itself was not from me. It was Marc dissecting, Simon doing the cellphone video, and me cavorting like a drunken retard (surprise, surprise) in the background with Art.

[Smallclub]

So, that, IMO, yet again, throws "theorically" out the window.

Maybe you should check the definition of the word "theorically" in a dictionnary. To my knowledge it doesn't mean "in every case".

And I can't see an adult lasioderma in this video. Larvae, maybe pupae (at 2:11), but no adult capable of flying .

[CanuckSARTech]

Maybe you should check the definition of the word "theorically" in a dictionnary. To my knowledge it doesn't mean "in every case".

And I can't see an adult lasioderma in this video. Larvae, maybe pupae (at 2:11), but no adult capable of flying .

I don't need to check the definition, thanks. I took your entire post in context, where you elaborated that it was "a bit of precision", and "I have never seen, nor don't know anyone who has seen...", etc.

And no, none of us, in any way, shape, or form, are saying "in every case" either. But, the odds are there.

And correct, you can't see it in the video. And I can't remember exact numbers and such, but IIRC, there were 6 different larvae that were counted in the sink after all of the cutting, and 3 adult beetles (which I believe included the one beetle that crawled out of the hole when Marc was looking at that cigar in the other room before the video started). EDIT - and I'll even contest that one of the beetles were dead, therefore with the one already having crawed out, there was one alive inside.

Again, it's just to elaborate that since you yourself haven't personally experienced it, some have. Therefore, no need to continually bi-annually declare as your own proven fact that it's nigh impossible.