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The fig actually produces an enzyme called ficain (also known as ficin) which digests the dead wasps and the fig absorbs the nutrients to create the ripe fruits and seeds. [8] Several commercial and ornamental varieties of fig are parthenocarpic and do not require pollination to produce (sterile) fruits; these varieties need not be visited by ...
Females emerge from ripe figs and fly to another fig tree with developing syconia (which contain the flowers). They enter the syconium via the ostiole, pollinate the flowers, and lay their eggs in some of the ovules. The ovules containing eggs develop into galls that support the growth of the wasp larvae.
[citation needed] Pollination of F. benjamina only occurs with a specific type of wasp that live symbiotically together. [9] The ripe figs (collective fruit) are orange-red and have a diameter of 2.0 to 2.5 cm (3 ⁄ 4 to 1 inch). [citation needed] The tree is treated as an ornamental bush and indoor plant in many places.
You’ve probably heard rumors about figs being filled with small wasps. Without the tiny bugs, the Ficus species, the producer of figs, would go extinct.
Most of the figs from a classic fig tree contain at least one dead wasp. Skip to main content. 24/7 Help. For premium support please call: 800-290-4726 more ways to reach us. Sign in ...
The relationship of fig and fig wasp is a classic example of obligate mutualism and coevolution. Only pollinating wasps pollinate the figs, while fig wasps only lay their eggs inside the fig ovules. [5] [6] Jelly fig pollinating W. pumilae are different from Creeping fig pollinating W. pumilae in gene expression. [7]
When the female wasps enter the opening of a fig, their wings and antennae detach. [9] Upon dissecting a fig, the wings of the wasps can be seen at the opening of the fig. Additionally, adult wasps, larvae, and eggs are found within the fig. [7] The wasps are free-living and their lifespan spans from a few days to weeks. [4]
In tropical areas where the wasp is common, complex mini-ecosystems involving the wasp, nematodes, [8] [9] other parasitic wasps, and various larger predators revolve around the life cycle of the fig. The trees' random production of fruit in such environments assures its constant attendance by the insects and animals which form this ecosystem.