Fig Life Cycle – Which Figs Are Pollinated by Wasps?
WouterFigs are a fruit which is sweet and very edible. Figs are usually sold in jams and desserts. They are typically eaten by birds and monkeys. There are about 750 species of figs, including a few known species that are pollinated by wasps. However, there are also several species that are not pollinated.
There are two species of fig wasps that are found in North America. These are the Blastophaga nota and the Blastophaga psenes. Each species has its own unique life cycle.
A female pollinator wasp will collect pollen from the fig’s internal flowers. The pollen will fertilize the fig’s ovaries. This will allow all the seeds to grow. The pollen is transported to another fig in a specialized pouch. This pouch allows the pollinator to carry the pollen from the original fig.
A male fig wasp will mate with a female before he emerges. After mating, the male wasp will tunnel out of the fig and create an exit for the female. The male will then die. The female wasp will lay eggs in the male fruit. These eggs will develop into larvae. The larvae will feed on the fig flowers and gall tissue. The larvae will then die.
The female fig wasp will die after laying eggs. However, her eggs will still contain pollen from the fig. When the fig is ripe, the pollen will pollinate the fig. The wasp will then fly off to fertilize another fig.
