Keepitlow: As your Asian pears mature, and become really sweet, they can be attacked by wasps attracted by the sugar. These can include the giant European hornet, which really likes Asian pears when they are ripe. These hornets bore holes into the fruit, and can literally hollow them out. Be careful when fiddling around an Asian pear containing a hornet -- the stings from these big fellows are unforgettable. They will not attack or pursue you, but if you squeeze one while feeding, it will hand you a stinger. No, wasps do not only eat insects. When the wasps or hornets start boring holes in ripe fruit, it is time to pick. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I posted about the same problem, and really only on my pears as far as tree leaves go. Mine's definitely a night feeder. I haven't done the flashlight thing, but judging by a nearby grape vine, I know I have cutworms there and apparently they can affect fruit trees! Who knew, lol? I'm treating for cutworms and I'll see if that does it. My pears are young (not many leaves/branches) and begin branching low to the ground, too. So cutworms could make sense in my case. I don't know if that helps you any, but maybe so :)

Buyali: In the absence of a photo, you could give us a better description of just how high you are placing the grafts on the rootstocks. If they are close to the ground, your problem could as well be rabbits as deer. If you suspect animals of some type, the rootstock may have to be protected with a circle of wire. You describe the damage as on the "tip of the emerging leaf", which would tend to suggest insects, but many types of insects eat and move on, and would no longer be on the leaves when you look at them with your magnifier. I don't know what active ingredient is contained in Wilson's Bug Spray (the label should say), but it may not be effective against what you are targeting. Try malathion or permethrin. I don't think I would put grease on my rootstocks. If it is petroleum-based grease, it could damage the tissue. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

brownmola: The Anna needs almost no chilling. Most other fruit trees need at least some. If you are so warm that the pear doesn't drop it's leaves it probably won't get enough chilling to bloom properly. Most fruit trees are the same way. You want them to lose their leaves. In the tropics they sometimes strip off the leaves to aid blooming.