DNS Zone file wildcard preference

I manage my DNS settings for a domain through digital ocean. I have the following entries.

apple.example.com 1.1.1.1 orange.example.com 1.1.1.1 *.example.com 2.2.2.2

So all subdomains route to 2.2.2.2 unless I specify a specific DNS entry.

I decide to add another subdomain

pear.example.com 1.1.1.1

I try pinging pear.example.com and it still resolves to 2.2.2.2

In my Zone file * is listed above pear

apple	IN A	1.1.1.1
orange	IN A	1.1.1.1
*		IN A	2.2.2.2
pear	IN A	1.1.1.1

which makes me wonder if the DNS check is matching * before it even gets a chance to see pear? For another domain, I deleted the * entry and then added it back to the end of the list and it solved my issue, but that seems a bit of a bodge to me?

Am I doing anything wrong?

Ta Chris