Which Figs Have Wasps?
WouterFigs are a complex fruit. They are attractive to humans, but they require the aid of insects. Wasps play a key role in ripening figs. In some species, wasps are a necessary part of the process, but not in others.
The pollinating fig wasp has a complicated life cycle. A mature female pollinator wasp enters an immature “fruit” through a small natural opening, collects pollen from male flowers, and then lays eggs inside the cavity. She usually loses her wings during this process. Her larvae must mate with female wasps to become a fully fledged male wasp. The larvae eventually emerge from their eggs and begin to form tunnels out of the fig.
The female pollinator wasp is about 1 and a half millimeters in size, and is a great way to pollinate figs. Her head is adorned with short spines. The pollen she carries is used to fertilize the fig ovaries.
The life cycle of a male fig wasp is not as complicated. After mating, a male wasp begins to tunnel out of the fig. He must create a way for female wasps to escape. Male wasps are usually wingless and do not fly. They are also smaller than their female counterparts.
The female pollinator wasp’s life cycle is slightly different in each species. For example, in some species, a female wasp may lay eggs inside a male fig’s ovaries. She then leaves to find a second fig to fertilize.
