How Do Wasps Create Figs?

Figs, like other fruits, require pollination in order to ripen. The process is complicated. Here is a brief look at how it happens.

First, figs need a specific breed of wasp. These wereps are called queen wasps, and their role is to pollinate the fruit. These wasps are very tiny, averaging 1.5 millimeters in length. The female wasp searches for a specific fig to lay eggs in. The wasp is guided by smell. She enters the fruit through a small opening. Once inside, the wasp lays eggs on the inside surface of the fig. The wasp then dies.

The fig wasp has one purpose in life. Its larvae are wingless. The larvae grow inside the petals of the fig. They develop into worm-like wasps. Before hatching, the larvae need to mate with the female wasp. When the female wasp dies, her larvae continue her life cycle.

The female wasp is responsible for pollination of figs. Her offspring mate with female wasps, and they carry pollen to the next generation of wasps. They also carry pollen from their dead fig partners. These larvae lay eggs on other figs. This pollen helps all the seeds to grow.

The male wasp, on the other hand, does not have wings. After mating, he digs out of the fig. He then builds a tunnel to allow the females to escape. When the female wasp dies, she’s absorbed into the fig. The fig produces a special enzyme called ficain, which breaks down the wasp’s exoskeleton.

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