What's eating my pawpaw 'allegheny'?

Pawpaw 'Allegheny' shares the excellent pest resistance of the Asimina triloba species. The acetogenins in its tissue repel most insects. The pawpaw peduncle borer is the primary insect pest, killing flower buds in spring. Raccoons, squirrels, and deer are the most damaging threats in practice, targeting fruit and foliage respectively.

Fruit bitten open or dropped prematurely; can strip a tree of its entire crop over several nights as fruit ripens. Begin harvesting as fruit softens; install wire trunk guards and overhead netting on small trees; pick up any dropped fruit daily to avoid attracting more wildlife.

Moth larvae tunnel into floral peduncles in early spring, shriveling buds before they open and reducing fruit set significantly. Hand-pollinate surviving flowers early in the season; remove withered flower parts; no commercially registered insecticide is specifically labeled for this pest.

Shoots, buds, and leaves stripped from young trees, particularly in late winter when other food is scarce. Enclose trees with wire cage or plastic tree tubes until 2 m tall; use repellent sprays year-round in high-pressure areas.