Occasionally some of my cigars will develop holes, and I’ve seen some small bugs crawling around my humidor. What should I do?
A. Beetles cause one of the most devastating problems found in humidors because they can quickly decimate a cigar supply and are difficult to combat. Beetle larvae are microscopic and occur naturally in tobacco, and, despite the quality control efforts of manufacturers, are frequently in cigars that make it to market. Once the temperature reaches 72 degrees, the beetles can hatch; they crawl through the cigars, creating those small round holes that essentially destroy a once-good smoke. But they can be combated by keeping a vigilant watch on your humidor’s temperature, and perhaps by installing a beetle trap in your humidor. In addition, beetle larvae can be killed by freezing the cigars. Just put them in your freezer for three days, then move them into the fridge for one day. After you’ve frozen the cigars, though, take care to slowly acclimate them to rehumidification, lest the wrappers on the cigars crack
Other bugs you may occasionally run into are wood mites—small, white insects that are often the result of opening a fresh wooden box of cigars. The good news is that these mites won’t harm the cigars, and they don’t live long enough to seriously damage your humidor.