Asian pear tree fruit rotting from inside - Ask Extension
Hi there! Every year my 11 year old Asian pear bears lots of fruit but it seems a bug gets in there before the fruit matures and it rots it from insid...
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Asian pear tree fruit rotting from inside #924910
Asked February 22, 2026, 3:39 PM EST
Hi there! Every year my 11 year old Asian pear bears lots of fruit but it seems a bug gets in there before the fruit matures and it rots it from inside. Anything to be done ? Thank you!
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for your question, Jean. There are at least 2 dozen insects which use pears as hosts (https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/crop-pests?combine=pear) We can't tell you what insect(s) your tree has without more information, especially photos. However, the most common insect which causes internal fruit damage is the codling moth. Here is advice about controlling that pest in the summer, up until harvest:
Again, without photos of the moth, the damage in the fruit (where you will also find the feeding larvae), we can only intuit what you have. Try using the above applications, and, if you still see moths and fruit damage, contact us again, or visit the Extension office in either Clackamas or Washington County. Good luck!
- "To be effective, you must maintain insecticide coverage whenever fruit and moths are present. You might need to make applications every 7 to 14 days, especially near commercial orchards.
- Acetamiprid, bifenthrin, carbaryl, esfenvalerate, gamma-cyhalothrin, insecticidal soap, lambda-cyhalothrin, malathion, permethrin, pyrethins, or spinosad.
All are registered for home use. - Use pheromone traps to time the first spray accurately, or check with your local Extension office for information. Place traps in the upper third of the canopy ahead of bloom."
Again, without photos of the moth, the damage in the fruit (where you will also find the feeding larvae), we can only intuit what you have. Try using the above applications, and, if you still see moths and fruit damage, contact us again, or visit the Extension office in either Clackamas or Washington County. Good luck!
