Wood Mites

[AdamB]

Hi All,

New to the forum and I see this has been a topic numerous times, but in my past with ordering cigars I've never had an issue with wood mites.  I recently received two boxes with one of them absolutely crawling with mood mites.  I'm talking hundreds throughout the box on a box of punch punch 25s. This was my first time ordering from this vendor as my other source didn't have punch punch currently.  My question is would you send back or just go through the freezing and cleaning method mentioned multiple times before on this forum?  They're currently sealed, and in freezer as a rep from the vender advised and they also offered to let me send them back.  I understand they don't harm the cigars but when I say this box was crawling in them I mean it.  It was disgusting.  In the second box I ordered there were a few and probably an amount I'd say wipe off and forget about but the punch punch box was a thing of nightmares when I opened it up.  I can't imagine many people wanting to put add these to a humidor of other boxes let alone keep a box with so many insects. 

[Fuzz]

Welcome to FOH. It is customary to introduce oneself here, before asking the forum for assistance.

[rcarlson]

Send 'em back.  

 

BTW, I assume you're talking about tobacco beetles.  Either way, I'd swap out.  Too much yuck.  

[Bri Fi]

@rcarlson wood mites are little white bugs that eat the glue from the cigar bands. Different than beetles. I’ve periodically opened my humidors or boxes and saw these guys crawling around. The first time I saw them I freaked out and put them in ziplock bags to freeze. I did some research on them and realized they are harmless. Now I just brush them off and squish them when I see them. 

[AdamB]

Yeah like Bri Fi suggested these certainly aren't tobacco beetles, they're wood mites.  My only concern was the number of them.  Theres hundreds.  And if they hatched because of warmer weather during shipping and multiply the amount of eggs would be insane.  I have compressed air duster ready to clean out the box and sticks after the deep freeze. 

[rcarlson]

1 hour ago, Bri Fi said:

@rcarlson wood mites are little white bugs that eat the glue from the cigar bands. Different than beetles. I’ve periodically opened my humidors or boxes and saw these guys crawling around. The first time I saw them I freaked out and put them in ziplock bags to freeze. I did some research on them and realized they are harmless. Now I just brush them off and squish them when I see them. 

Whatya know.  I can't say as I've ever encountered them.  Unfortunately, I have made the acquaintance of the tobacco beetle (albeit many years ago).

  

[Bijan]

[Meesterjojo]

I had a wicked case of Wood mites back in an order from February. Luckily they don't eat cigars. But I did isolate and freeze them and their packaging.

 

Vendor says it was their Spanish warehouse.

No big deal. 

[mprach024]

4 hours ago, Bri Fi said:

@rcarlson wood mites are little white bugs that eat the glue from the cigar bands. Different than beetles. I’ve periodically opened my humidors or boxes and saw these guys crawling around. The first time I saw them I freaked out and put them in ziplock bags to freeze. I did some research on them and realized they are harmless. Now I just brush them off and squish them when I see them. 

😱😱😱😱

never seen these

[NicPac]

I had some in an order I got recently. Not a crazy amount but enough. I froze the boxes for 7 days and all seems fine now. 

[El Presidente]

advise vendor. His team can check the rest of his stock in that area.  Work with the vendor. 

Me, I would freeze the box. It will stop them dead. 

[HarveyBoulevard]

1 hour ago, Meesterjojo said:

I had a wicked case of Wood mites...

I think they make a cream or balm for that...

[Meesterjojo]

Slather your own sticks with it then 

[La_Tigre]

Picked up package gets inspected and then into the freeze process. Made into a routine and no worries about infectious spread. Think of it as a Decon chamber for Cigar COVID. 

[Nevrknow]

22 minutes ago, La_Tigre said:

Picked up package gets inspected and then into the freeze process. Made into a routine and no worries about infectious spread. Think of it as a Decon chamber for Cigar COVID. 

Same

[Wetduck79]

1 hour ago, La_Tigre said:

Picked up package gets inspected and then into the freeze process. Made into a routine and no worries about infectious spread. Think of it as a Decon chamber for Cigar COVID. 

How long do you freeze for?

[Edicion]

Who else went to check all their boxes and started planning what to throw out from the freezer to make space for the boxes?

Full on BBQ it is this weekend for some reason!

[Mickey D]

Never realize these to be a problem. Wonder if I need to be concerned with morning wood? 

[Homer]

3 hours ago, Mickey D said:

Never realize these to be a problem. Wonder if I need to be concerned with morning wood? 

You should see your urologist.

[Chibearsv]

5 hours ago, Mickey D said:

Never realize these to be a problem. Wonder if I need to be concerned with morning wood? 

Those aren't wood mites 😨

[Woody Hayes]

They're great eaten'.  Mix with some olive oil and garlic...nothen' better.  I like mine with a nice Aussie Shiraz.