FCV Beetle Alert!

[DougW]

Just a heads up to everyone who has gotten some of the flue cured Virginia in the last few months. Don sent some of the most beautiful flue cured Virginia tobacco I've probably ever seen, what, two months ago? I got three pounds along with some other goodies and stashed it away into storage with all the rest. I had used up all my old FCV, so, last week when I returned from a trip I broke out the new FCV. To my horror it was all riddled with holes and beetles running about in the still sealed bags ... All three! I put them in the freezer and left town again, so I'll check when I return. The other tobacco was fine, even the burley from the same order.

Sooooo, everyone, check that FCV if you have put it away. I had probably seen it not more than a couple of weeks prior to the infestation and it was fine. First time I've seen any beetles in anything from WLT.

 

[MarcL]

User error. you all need to be more careful in what your doing.

 

[juan carlos]

MarcL could you elaborate? as a new user, is there a particular protocol i should be following with shipments of whole leaf, or of my finished cigars?

so far, i have just been keeping them in the original packaging, and after rolling, off to dry for a while and into a previously used cedar cigar box.

any tips are appreciated!

 

[webmost]

Just a heads up to everyone who has gotten some of the flue cured Virginia in the last few months. Don sent some of the most beautiful flue cured Virginia tobacco I've probably ever seen, what, two months ago? I got three pounds along with some other goodies and stashed it away into storage with all the rest. I had used up all my old FCV, so, last week when I returned from a trip I broke out the new FCV. To my horror it was all riddled with holes and beetles running about in the still sealed bags ... All three! I put them in the freezer and left town again, so I'll check when I return. The other tobacco was fine, even the burley from the same order.

Sooooo, everyone, check that FCV if you have put it away. I had probably seen it not more than a couple of weeks prior to the infestation and it was fine. First time I've seen any beetles in anything from WLT.

Let Don know.

 

[Raodwarior]

Yes beetles are a pain in the tail, but they happen if the temp where you stored it is over 73 degrees that can happen, I have had beetles in several shipments but it is part of what we do. You can freeze it and that "should " help, or if its wrapper learn to cut around it. Beetle eggs are on almost ALL raw tobacco and we get to deal with them. I suggest the ziplok totes so they don't migrate. Otherwise take the leaves outside and shake them out and reseal them in the bags or in the totes I mentioned. I have been doing this for over a yr and have had no further problems.

 

[MarcL]

MarcL could you elaborate? as a new user, is there a particular protocol i should be following with shipments of whole leaf, or of my finished cigars? so far, i have just been keeping them in the original packaging, and after rolling, off to dry for a while and into a previously used cedar cigar box. any tips are appreciated!

IMHO .. Beetle larvae cannot be eradicated. What they need to hatch are 2 things. Heat and water. keep it cool.

fairtradetobacco.com/threads/ Tobacco-Beetles

 

[juan carlos]

as luck would have it... if roadwarrior is on at 73*....i'm safe this far north, it gets above 72* about 3 days out of the year.

should a fella be freezing the goods for a few days, or is that a waste of time? Just keep the product cool(er) than 72* for it lifespan?

 

[MarcL]

I think so. I have had trouble some with Jorge Doctsch leafs before and, he was adamant about beetles being inevitable but, he suggested freezing. Nick Perdomo will say that unless it's a deep freeze it does little. Another thing I'll try not to do is have an order of leaf out of a week end where it might be baking on a truck for a day or two.

 

[deluxestogie]

Though it was in the cigar tobacco forum, this subject was discussed over the past two days: http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/6163-Tobacco-Beetles

The tobacco beetle originated in the Philippines decades ago, and has spread by international shipping of tobacco, to become a creature of all tobacco warehouses throughout the world.

Bob

 

[MarcL]

I tried that link above Bob. I don't think it helped.

 

[deluxestogie]

More info, with data: http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7919

The research article cited in the above discussion: http://www.researchgate.net/publica...ioderma_serricorne_(F.)_(Coleoptera_Anobiidae)

Hope this helps.

Bob

 

[FmGrowit]

Doug,

Send me your order number or email address i a PM and I'll replace the tobacco. This has been the worst year for beetles industry wide...and I'm no exception. We put traps everywhere in the warehouse and traps in every box of tobacco. When we break down bales (750 lbs each), we pack it in plastic liners then into 50 - 70 lb boxes. Each box gets a trap.

This year, I'll put the tobacco outside during one of our Northern Ohio below zero spells. Hopefully, that will take care of the little bastards.

 

[deluxestogie]

This year, I'll put the tobacco outside during one of our Northern Ohio below zero spells.

Please let me know when any tobacco will be sitting outside, in back of the warehouse.

Bob

 

[DougW]

Wow. Thank you, Don. Pm sent.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

This was the one year I didn't store my tobacco in the back mudroom where it gets to freezing during about a month of the year and I noticed them too. Thank god I've got a chest freezer, put them in at -20 degrees, will leave them in for 2 weeks just to be sure.

What's odd is they hatched in a 65 degree basement, but the leaf is in very very high case in the bag, could that have allowed them a greater range of hatching/living temperature?