In its native habitat the pawpaw has few pests of any importance. The worst pest is Talponia plummeriana, the pawpaw peduncle borer, a small moth larva (about 5 mm long) that burrows into the fleshy tissues of the flower, causing the flower to wither and drop. In some years this borer is capable of destroying the majority of blossoms. Another pest is Eurytides marcellus, the zebra swallowtail butterfly, whose larvae feed exclusively on young pawpaw foliage, but never in great numbers. Zebra swallowtail feeding is primarily a problem on very young trees. Sometimes the fruit surface may be covered with patches that are hard and black; this is a fungus infection, but it seldom has any effect on flavor or edibility. Recently, there have been a few instances of Asian Ambrosia beetles boring into trunks and killing trees. Time will tell if this becomes a serious problem for pawpaws.
FAQ #1185
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When growing pawpaws, are there major pest problems?
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