URGENT HELP!

[soutso]

Hi fellow FOH members,

I have a desktop humidor and about a month ago I added a box of Bolivar Petit Coronas into it. In the humidor are boxes of H. Upmann No.2, Monte 2, HDM Petit Coronas, Monte Petit Edmuno and Cohiba Coronas Especiales in numbers of 20 ish. There are a few others too but I'm a little panicked to remember.

I just opened my box and noticed on 7 (out of twenty)Bolivar Petit Coronas I have very tiny white dots that are crawling on the wrapper. There are no holes. These cigars are sitting on top of the Cohiba Corona Especiales - Two of those have the same white dots crawilng. None of the other cigars around these two brands have any. The Corona Especiales where touching the Bolivars.

I dont segregate the different cigars with cedar. They all sit amonst each other in a way to fit as many cigars in the humidor as possible. All cigar types are bunched together.

Is this the dreaded cigar beatle? What should I do???

I'm shitting myself

[dicko]

Could be little wood mites. Inspect each cigar and clean out the humi. Probably would freeze all the cigars too for good measure.

Other guys will have good advice.

[Ted]

If there crawling I'd flick them off the cigar.. Jk

[Rushman]

I'm guessing wood mites as well. White cigar beetle really means larvae and they are inside the tobacco until hatched. Dust off clean out humidor smoke away.

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[daeji5]

Wood mites.

I have a bunch in all of my boxes. No need to freeze imo. They don't hurt the cigars. I just pull out a stick, brush em off, and light up.

[Lasabar]

Not familiar with Wood Mites.... But I've had two NC beetle scares. Beetles, in my experience, have two phases.

1. Eating holes in your cigars, but you don't see them

2. Adults flying around.

I've never seen or heard of them crawling on the cigar and never heard of them on the outside. Beetles show up when it's too late and they ate a 5-lane highway in your cigar and then fly away. Crawling on the outside, I'd say what the other guys are saying.

[Maplepie]

Mites. Wood Mites. Mould Mites. Latin name Tyrophagus Putrescentiae. They crave damp wooden climates.

I knew a snake handler who absolutely detested those things so he introduces small little vermin that just eat them up and coexists with the snakes until the snakes eat the vermin . Unfortunately, letting small insects into your humidor isn't the best idea. (remember when the cane toads came to Australia!? Or when the Chinese needle snakes went to Sprinfield?)

So, what you can just do is quarantine the bloody thing. Honestly, you don't want it spreading to your house.

Then seal everything AIRTIGHT and just freeze the things. They subsist in warm, damp climates. So the best thing to do is freeze the bastards. OR just toss your humidor in the sun so it reaches every corner of your humidor. Let that sit for 30-60 seconds and the little buggers will go running around.

Normally i wouldn't recommend the second option. But your humidor is small enough for that to actually be a plausible idea. Your cigars will take little to no damage from a 30 minute exposure to direct sunlight let alone a 1-2 minute exposure.

[Maplepie]

Mites. Wood Mites. Mould Mites. Latin name Tyrophagus Putrescentiae. They crave damp wooden climates.

Unfortunately, letting small insects into your humidor isn't the best idea. (remember when the cane toads came to Australia!? Or when the Chinese needle snakes went to Sprinfield?)

I found the link on it. Apparently they're not THAT bad of an introductory species. Seeing how the humidor has 0 fauna and flora, invading species shant be a problem in the long run.

If you wish to try this out (so you have to deal with a bunch of mite corpses after a few days), this is also available:

Hypoaspis Miles to kill other mites.

I highly urge this as a last resort only. There is absolutely no reason to go this method as it's like using a grenade to clean your room. The freezer or direct sunlight should kill them well off.

Edit:

(remember when the cane toads came to Australia!? Or when the Chinese needle snakes went to Sprinfield?)

Chris (Chance). I thought of you when I typed both these statements. I see you reading this thread!!

[soutso]

Many thanks to all above who've answered. I've since googled wood mites and I am confident this is the case with my problem. The images I've seem are essentially the same to what I saw.

I'll be sitting my humidor open and in direct sunlight for a few hours tomorrow

[...]

Had the mites in boxes of VR Don Alejandros. Emptied the boxes, brushed cigars and cleaned boxes, freezed both and put back to the wineador. No resurgence after months.

You could leave the mites to do their thing if you didn't mind them since they are after the bands' glue mostly. However, sounds like you (and I) are not cool with tiny white stuff crawling over your cigars

I suggest you pull out the cigars out of the humidor, you ziploc-bag them (two layers of bagging at least) and freeze them for a couple of days, then put them in fridge for a day before putting back in the humidor. In the meantime, you could brush the humidor clean and leave out in the sun for a bit.

Mites also tend to gather on humidifying media, so you could put in the oven at low temperature or freeze your beads, freeze your sponge or try and leave in the sun to make sure all mites have been dealt with. Enjoy

[CaptainQuintero]

Wood mites.

I have a bunch in all of my boxes. No need to freeze imo. They don't hurt the cigars. I just pull out a stick, brush em off, and light up.

That's my grim moment of the day!

[PigFish]

… mite be, or might not be…! I would freeze, and that's just me!

While I understand cigars are natural products. The little buggers eating and shitting in my box of cigars is no bueno. Maybe they have pals and it is not worth the risk.

-Piggy

[CUBANO]

The little buggers eating and shitting in my box of cigars is no bueno.

-Piggy

That is one micro dump. LOL

[Skyfall]

wood mites, easily killed by UV rays. Set everything out in the sun for a bit.

[Laynard]

Yep, mites. I had a few one time. Wiped them down and haven't seen them since. Odd thing was, I have NCs and CCs, and they were only on the CCs. At least they have good taste!

Anyways, don't panic. They don't harm the cigar, but they are a bit gross. Wipe 'em and keep an eye out...you'll be fine.

[Ginseng]

Also referred to as glue mites in this instance. Apparently they nibble the glue used to join the bands.

Here are my recommended steps for remediation.

1. Pull a cigar out, light it up, mites and all, smoke, relax.

2. Freeze (wrapping tightly in foil) or don't freeze.

3. See step 1. Repeat as necessary.

Wilkey

[shlomo]

I'd like to be the 12th person (but most likely not the last) to say wood mites....

[Skyfall]

I'd like to be the 12th person (but most likely not the last) to say wood mites....

I'm changing my answer to : Ghost Lice

[Smallclub]

You're all wrong: it's mold.

[Maplepie]

You're all wrong: it's mold.

this is when you need to add emoticons!

[monkey66]

It is plume!

[Smallclub]

It is plume!

Naw, plume doesn't crawl!

[PigFish]

… crawling plume, only available in EL's and RE's. At stores now!!! Get them now, and we'll double your order!

[headstand]

Also referred to as glue mites in this instance. Apparently they nibble the glue used to join the bands.

Wilkey

Soooo, any chance of training the little buggers to undo the bands? No more torn wrappers would be nice.

[Maplepie]

Soooo, any chance of training the little buggers to undo the bands? No more torn wrappers would be nice.

ehhhh..... would be too close to my mouth for comfort.

i won't want a crunchy snack whilst smoking