Tobacco beetles (also called cigarette beetles) are tiny reddish-brown insects, about the size of a grain of rice. Despite the name, they don’t just eat cigarettes—they love cigars, pipe tobacco, and loose-leaf tobacco. The real problem isn’t the adult beetle you might see crawling around—it’s their larvae (babies).
Tobacco beetles usually start as eggs laid in tobacco leaves while the tobacco is growing, drying, or aging. These eggs are incredibly small and impossible to see. They can stay dormant for a long time and then hatch when conditions are right, however the number one trigger is heat. Beetle eggs hatch at approximately ~72°F (22°C) and above. The warmer it gets, the faster they reproduce which is why infestations spike in summer months. High humidity doesn’t create beetles, but heat plus humidity makes things worse.
Cigar beetles are one of the worst enemies of stored cigars because:
- They chew holes through wrappers, binders, and fillers
- They lay eggs inside cigars
- The damage is irreversible
- One infested cigar can spread beetles to your entire humidor
A single unnoticed beetle can turn into dozens in a short time. This is one of the things that experienced cigar smokers all fear and keep a very good eye on. I cannot tell you how many horror stories we have seen from others over the years who have had an infestation and lost thousands of dollars worth of cigars that were left in crumbles.
Understanding this helps explain why they’re so dangerous. Eggs are laid inside or on tobacco which then hatch into Larvae. These larvae can do the real damage by eating the cigar. Then the larvae becomes a Pupa where it transforms into a fully grown beetle. Once an adult beetle hatches, it will begin to chew its way out of the cigar, leaving tiny holes that are the obvious sign you’re in trouble. This entire cycle can happen inside a single cigar, but devastate an entire humidor.
You should regularly check your cigars, especially those that have sat for extended periods of time for aging. Keep an eye out for the following:
- Pin-sized holes (usually very round)
- Powdery tobacco dust (“frass”) inside the humidor
- Wrappers that suddenly feel brittle or hollow
If you see multiple holes, the cigar is already lost. If you do find a cigar with multiple holes, you should immediately go through your entire humidor and check all of your cigars and remove and dispose of absolutely any with any signs of beetles.
Can beetles come from the cigar shop? Yes, and in fact this surprises most beginners. Even reputable shops can unknowingly sell cigars with dormant beetle eggs and/or early-stage larvae. The eggs can survive the entire cigar life cycle including shipping, aging and normal storage. They only “wake up” when the temperature rises excessively.
Some manufacturers and shops take their own precautions with new inventory. For example, Two Guys Cigars freezes some of their cigars when they arrive from the manufacturer which almost completely guarantees that all eggs, larvae and beetles that could be active are killed off before entering the store humidors. Cigars are usually frozen for 48–72 hours and then thawed slowly before humidor storage. Keep in mind, this does not hurt properly wrapped cigars.
These few habits prevent almost all infestations, the first being control temperature. Your deal storage should be anywhere between 65–70°F. Never store cigars in hot rooms, cars, or garages. You also don’t want to over-humidify. It is easy to do when your cigars get a little dry and you panic trying to rehydrate them. But the key to rehydration is being patient. Your target humidity should be 65–69%. Remember, higher humidity equals softer tobacco which is easier for feeding beetles.
One thing I will add, while beetles can occur in any cigar at any time, they are usually not super common. They more often than not actually can occur more in Cuban cigars due to the lack of extended quality control that most new world manufacturers are accustomed to. Many non-Cuban manufacturers (especially in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras) freeze tobacco or finished cigars to kill beetle eggs. Cuban cigars—distributed by Habanos S.A.—do not use freezing as a standard process.
This is a philosophical and traditional choice, not an oversight however.
If you follow our guide on proper humidor control, most of this can be avoided naturally.
