Cigar beetles and humidity

[Ropey]

For some reason I always want to spell it "cigar beatles"...

So I understand that cigar beetles start to hatch when temps reach mid-70s F or higher. However, does humidity also affect hatching? Can keeping RH low prevent hatching, even if temps rise?

(Hot weekend here in CA).

[HabanoMan]

Just keep your humidity in the acceptable ranges and temps under 71 and you will be good to go. Temp is the major factor at play concerning beetles.

[Ropey]

I'm actually looking for more specific information about RH, specifically, and beetle hatching. I have the cigars in the coldest spot in the house and have no way to reduce the temperature any more. No wineadors, coolers or anything. And I can't purchase any.

I guess I should phrase my question differently: Can anybody point me to any reputable internet resources that talk about the effect of RH on beetle hatching?

Thanks again!

[Mister Moo]

...I have the cigars in the coldest spot in the house and have no way to reduce the temperature any more. No wineadors, coolers or anything. And I can't purchase any.

Such was my 1st year of cigar keeping in eastern NC several years ago; summer came, the house got too warm and I found some very nice cigars being eaten alive. The costly cure was keeping the A/C around 67* all day in a house that was vacant during the working day except for my cigars . Soon thereafter I got lucky and stumbled on to a mega-bargain close-out winecooler - worked great - house at 80* all day and cigars hanging at 65* for less tha a song. Funny enough, about a year later we moved to a house with a large (one window) basement that stays pretty much 66/66 all year with the ducts closed. Winecooler got unplugged about seven years ago and I spray in a little water once or twice each winter.

Seems like your best deal short of cooling a home in a hot climate would be storing offsite; or finding a place with a dark basement; or buying a couple of cigars at a time when you want to smoke them; or take the ultimate escape and start smoking a pipe.

[HabanoMan]

@Ropey Here is a link about it from Purdue University http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-239.pdf

[Ropey]

@Ropey Here is a link about it from Purdue University http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-239.pdf

Perfect, exactly what I was looking for, thank you very much.

[Lostmason]

@Ropey Here is a link about it from Purdue University http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-239.pdf

So I would gather from this, RH has little to no effect one way or the other it's all about the temps,on the other hand the mold issues will be equal parts RH and temps.

[Tobias Lutz]

So I would gather from this, RH has little to no effect one way or the other it's all about the temps,on the other hand the mold issues will be equal parts RH and temps.

"Low humidity generally inhibits
hatching, with the effect becoming more pronounced above
and below 86°F. The optimum relative humidity is 70-80%"

I think this clearly say that those of us who store around 60% are less likely to see a hatching

[HabanoMan]

So I would gather from this, RH has little to no effect one way or the other it's all about the temps,on the other hand the mold issues will be equal parts RH and temps.

"Low humidity generally inhibits
hatching, with the effect becoming more pronounced above
and below 86°F. The optimum relative humidity is 70-80%"

I think this clearly say that those of us who store around 60% are less likely to see a hatching

I agree with Tobias. Seems that as long as you keep your stash at an acceptable RH that it's effect on cigars will be minimal to non-existant. Temp is by far the main concern here.

Also yes, temp and RH have an effect on mold.

[Cameradude]

From my own personal experience beetles will hatch if the temps rise and RH remains stable. I keep my RH at 64-66% in my coolers using a combination of Boveda and Heartfelt beads. I was doing some organization of my coolers and moved them into my office because I have table space to work on. Because of the computer equipment my office can range between 70-78 degrees. The week or so that I had everything in my office I had beetles start eating away on a Victor Sinclair. Luckily it was caught early and was an isolated incident. But the particular cigar had been in a cooler at 65% with temps ranging from 60-72 and did not have an issue for months. It was only when the temps raised while in my office that they began to hatch. RH never changed.