Fig wasps are wasps of the superfamily Chalcidoidea which spend their larval stage inside fig syconia. Some are pollinators but others simply feed off the plant. The non-pollinators belong to several groups within the superfamily Chalcidoidea, while the pollinators are in …

Jun 1, 2024 · Here, we unpack the fig-wasp relationship and answer all your questions about what's in your figs—and why they're safe to eat. While figs are generally considered a fruit, they are...

Certain types of fig are male and female and so require a special breed of wasp to pollinate the females. The female wasp crawls inside through a hole so narrow that she loses her wings in the process and becomes trapped. If the fig is a male, she lays her eggs inside.

A fig wasp is any member of a large family of about 900 species of tiny, solitary wasps responsible for pollinating the world’s 900 species of figs. Each species of fig wasp pollinates only one species of fig.

All fig trees are pollinated by very small wasps of the family Agaonidae. Fig trees are tropical plants with numerous species around the world. There are just two species native to the United States: the Florida strangler fig (Ficus aurea) and the shortleaf fig also called giant bearded fig or wild banyan tree (Ficus citrifolia). Each requires ...

Jul 11, 2024 · Fig wasps aren't in every fig. And for those afraid of bugs, you'll never open a ripe fig and find a dead wasp inside. You can rest easy. In this article, I'll explain the fig wasp's role, where it's found, and how it’s solely responsible for creating thousands of unique fig varieties.

Jan 29, 2025 · Figs can be broadly categorized into two groups regarding their relationship with wasps: Common Figs: These varieties, such as the Brown Turkey and Kadota, are self-pollinating. They do not require pollination from wasps, and as a …

The family Agaonidae is a group of pollinating fig wasps. They spend their larval stage inside the fruits of figs. The pollinating wasps (Agaoninae, Kradibiinae, and Tetrapusiinae) are the mutualistic partners of the fig trees. Extinct forms from the Eocene and Miocene are nearly identical to modern forms, suggesting that the niche has been ...

Jun 14, 2023 · Fig wasps are the only pollinators of fig trees and lay their larvae inside figs in return. So, are you eating dead wasps? Read this guide for the full answer.

Oct 9, 2012 · Unlike the bright, colorful flowers you see in a garden, fig tree flowers are hidden inside hollow balls that will ripen into figs. This means the fig wasp must use her sense of smell to find a tree with flowering figs. When she finds a fig with flowers, she squeezes through a tiny opening to get inside.