What's eating my pawpaw 'susquehanna'?

Pawpaw 'Susquehanna' shares the low pest pressure typical of Asimina triloba — acetogenin compounds in the leaves repel most insects. The pawpaw peduncle borer damages flowers in spring, and wildlife (squirrels, deer, raccoons) steal ripening fruit. On young trees, deer browsing the foliage is a more urgent problem than any insect pest.

Twigs and leaves browsed, especially on trees under 1.5 m tall; repeated browsing stunts growth and can kill young transplants. Install tree tubes or wire cage guards around each tree for the first 3–4 years; apply deer repellent spray in spring and autumn.

Larvae bore into flower buds in early spring, destroying blooms before they open and causing near-total crop failure in bad years. Hand-pollinate remaining open flowers early; remove and destroy spent flower parts; there is no registered insecticide specifically approved for this pest.

Ripe or nearly ripe fruit is chewed off or knocked from the tree; large portions of the crop can be lost within days. Harvest fruit as soon as it yields to gentle pressure; use exclusion netting over smaller trees; place metal baffles on tree trunks.