Very old pear tree (1920) has sticky blackened leaves

It's been like this for a few years now, but this spring I gave it a really hard pruning back and the blossom was amazing, lots of fruit set, too much in fact so I was pleased the winds removed a lot of it. Now in the last week or so the black sticky has returned.
Its a proper tree so it would be difficult to spray but I need to do something or it will be like previous yours where half the fruit drops off before its ripe and the rest has a bug or 3 living in it when its harvested.

 

I think you have more than just one pest problem by the sounds of it.

Cant say what is specific but the black sticky stuff is something different to the grubs in the fruit.

You probably need to spray it, but most people dont these days.

 

The sticky stuff is honeydew from the aphids.
It contains sugar (which is why ants farm aphids, they love the sugary, calorie-rich honeydew - which is actually aphid excrement).
Then bacteria take hold, which it turns it into black sticky stuff.
You could spray a lot of it off with a powerful jet from a hose.

The black leaf that looks burnt could be a few things.
Fireblight is a possibility, but could be something else

 

Thanks for the replies, now its not so windy I have taken some more pictures on a curled leaf, there appears to be grey aphids? on there a couple of earwig sized insects crawled out while I was picturing, I'm afraid they had a swift ending.

 

Yes, it looks like a grey aphid infestation.
If you can blast some of them off with a jet from a hose, that will help.

A summary from Google -
Grey aphids, specifically the pear-bedstraw aphid (Dysaphis pyri), can be a problem on pear trees in the UK, particularly in spring and early summer. These aphids cause leaves to curl, turn yellow, and may stunt growth, but overall tree health is usually not significantly affected.
Here's a more detailed look at grey aphids on pear trees in the UK:
Identifying Grey Aphids:

• Appearance:
  They are small, pinkish-grey aphids, often with a greyish-brown coating, and can be found in dense colonies on the underside of leaves.
• Symptoms:
  Aphids can cause leaves to curl inwards, turn yellow, and may even develop brown spots or discoloration.
• Timing:
  They are most common in spring and early summer, with populations declining during the summer months as they migrate to their alternative host (bedstraws).

Managing Aphids on Pear Trees:

• Natural Control:
  Natural predators, like ladybirds, hoverflies, and lacewings, can help control aphid populations.
• Manual Removal:
  You can manually remove aphid colonies by squashing them with your fingers and thumbs.
• Organic Solutions:
  Insecticidal soaps or neem oil can be effective in controlling aphids.
• Encourage Natural Enemies:
  Create habitats for beneficial insects by planting a variety of plants and providing insect hotels or birdhouses.
• Avoid Pesticides:
  The RHS recommends against the use of pesticides, as they can harm beneficial insects and reduce biodiversity.

Important Considerations:

• Tolerance:
  Aphids are a common part of a healthy garden ecosystem, and some populations may not require control.
• Tree Health:
  While aphids can cause some leaf damage, they usually do not significantly affect the overall health or fruit production of pear trees.
• Prevention:
  Regularly inspect your pear tree for aphids and take action early to prevent large infestations.

 

So they don't do any harm and provide food for others. They can stay then. It's them that's making the leaves sticky too then.
So I have something else that crawls inside the pears and feeds on them as they grow. Nothing is big enough to dissect atm to see what is inside them.
Thanks for your help.

 

If there is lawn around the pear tree, or thick thatched grass, it could be worthwhile to remove a large circle of that underneath the canopy of the tree and mulch it thoroughly to give some breathing space and allow nutrients and water to reach the root system. Additionally, the tree may be suffering from drought and could benefit from a thorough soaking. Are you in the UK, if so, where? How does the tree look generally?

 

The tree looks fine and indeed after my early spring hard prune it seems to be enjoying life more than before, the blossom was crazy amounts. It is in a lawned area but we are heavy clay from 10 inches down and the garden slopes down to where the pear is, in fact the pear is in the part which gets most water so I think its happy, its just the bugs in the fruit I need to identify later in the year when the fruit is bigger. We are in Kent within 3/4 mile of the sea.

 

The bugs in the fruit could well be codling moth larvae.
My apples often get it.
A friend mentioned codling moth traps so I got one last year and most apples were undamaged.
I'm hanging one up in one of my apple trees today.
1 trap should be enough for several trees.
They don't seem to affect my pears though.

This is the one I bought - It comes with the trap tent and there's a spare refill for next year.


From Google -
Codling moths are a significant pest for pear trees, with their larvae (caterpillars) burrowing into the fruit and causing damage. These moths are a major concern for both commercial pear growers and home orchardists.
Life Cycle and Damage:

• Moths:
  Adult codling moths are small, grayish moths with a wingspan of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch. They emerge in late spring/early summer and lay eggs on developing fruit and leaves.
• Eggs:
  Eggs are tiny, disk-shaped, and white when first laid.
• Larvae:
  The larvae, also known as caterpillars, hatch from the eggs and bore into the fruit. They feed on the fruit's core and can cause substantial damage.
• Overwintering:
  After feeding, the larvae leave the fruit and overwinter as non-feeding caterpillars in leaf litter, bark crevices, or other sheltered places. They pupate the following spring, and the cycle begins again.
• Damage:
  Codling moth larvae create tunnels inside the fruit, leaving behind brown or black droppings (frass). This damage can cause fruit to ripen prematurely, drop, and become unmarketable. In severe cases, a large portion of the pear crop can be infested, according to UC IPM.

Control Methods:

• Monitoring:
  Using pheromone traps can help monitor the codling moth population and determine the timing of control measures.
• Mechanical Control:
  Removing overwintering larvae from leaf litter and bark can help reduce the moth population.
• Biological Control:
  Using beneficial insects or nematodes that prey on codling moth larvae can provide an effective, environmentally friendly control method, according to Dragonfli.
• Chemical Control:
  Insecticides can be used to target codling moth larvae, but it's important to choose the right timing and product based on the specific life stage of the moth.

 

@Pete8
Please correct me if I am wrong but I understood that the pheremone traps are deployed to sample populations of codling moth to establish whether chemical control is required; that the traps would not in themselves solve or give adequate crop protection.
I further understand that the codling moth lives off the tree and crawls up to lay eggs on set fruit. Greasebands on tree trunks can be deployed to arrest their upward progress.
Regarding grey aphids, localised populations can be 'neutralized' with methylated spirits (methyl alcohol); a 'fix' for almost any insect (!)

 

Hi @infradig yes, the traps are to monitor populations, but they also seem to prevent damage to apples/pears too.
I used one for the first time last year, and for the first time in 30+ years I had far fewer damaged apples.
A friend has over 50 fruit trees in their 2 gardens (inc. many apple tees) and he swears by them. It was on his advice I got one.
Another friend has a few apple trees and has also found they reduce damage.
When I took the trap down last year there were about 10 moths stuck to the trap.
So from my 1 year's worth of experience it seems to have helped quite a lot.
I'll see what happens this year.

Like you, for decades I thought grease bands were the answer and for years I've been applying grease to the trunks or using the bands then spending an hour trying to wash the grease off my hands! and I still got loads of damaged apples.
It was only when my mate with 50 trees informed me the grease bands are for winter moths, not codling moths which are a different species. So I don't use the grease any more - which was a job I hated.