How Do Wasps Need Figs?
WouterFigs are a sweet, edible fruit, often sold as jams and as a base for desserts. Often sold by themselves, they are also popular in Asian and Mediterranean countries. Figs have a complex relationship with wasps. The relationship is called reciprocity.
The relationship between figs and wasps dates back at least 65 million years. According to a study, the two partners have shared a mutually beneficial relationship for at least 80 million years. A wasp is a special pollinator that provides pollen for ripening figs.
Figs are a fruit that contains seeds, and the seeds need a special pollinator to fertilize them. A special breed of wasp is needed to do this. The pollinator is named the queen wasp. The queen wasp is a special female wasp that lives inside the fig. The queen wasp lays eggs in the fig’s ovaries, which are the fruit’s ovaries. Figs can be self-pollinating, but some are dependent on wasps.
A female fig wasp enters the fig through a tiny opening, which is called an ostiole. She crawls through the tiny hole and burrows into the fig. In the process, she loses her wings and antenna. Once she enters, she spreads the pollen from the previous fig.
A female fig wasp will live inside the fig for two days. After she dies, she will lay eggs in a future fig. These eggs will help to fertilize a new fig. The eggs will hatch and grow into a new generation of female fig wasps.
