The presence of wasps inside figs is a common curiosity, stemming from the unique relationship between fig trees and a particular type of wasp. This article clarifies what happens inside a fig and which types of figs are involved.
The Fig-Wasp Partnership
Figs are inverted flower structures called syconia, with tiny flowers lining their inner surface. Many fig species require a specialized pollinator: the fig wasp. This relationship is a prime example of mutualism, where both organisms depend on each other for survival and reproduction.
The life cycle begins when a female fig wasp, carrying pollen, locates an immature fig. Attracted by chemical signals, she enters through a small opening called the ostiole. This entry is so narrow that the wasp loses her wings and parts of her antennae, trapping her inside. Once inside, she deposits her eggs in some flowers and transfers pollen to others. This pollination allows the fig’s seeds to develop, while her offspring develop within the fig.
What Happens to the Wasp
After laying her eggs and pollinating the fig, the female fig wasp dies inside. Her body, along with any unhatched eggs, is broken down by the fig’s enzyme, ficin or ficain. This enzyme digests the wasp’s body, absorbing its nutrients into the developing fig.
By the time the fig ripens, the wasp’s body has been completely assimilated. Intact wasp bodies are not found inside ripe figs. The small, crunchy bits within a fig are its seeds. This process ensures the fig receives pollination for reproduction and reclaims the wasp’s organic matter.
Not All Figs Host Wasps
While fig-wasp mutualism is well-known, not all figs require or contain wasps. Many common varieties, such as ‘Brown Turkey,’ ‘Black Mission,’ and ‘Kadota,’ are parthenocarpic. These figs produce fruit without pollination, developing edible figs without the need for fig wasps.
These parthenocarpic figs are found in supermarkets and home gardens where the specific fig wasp species (Blastophaga psenes) is not present. Other fig types, like Smyrna figs, rely on wasp pollination to mature. Caprifigs are wild, inedible male figs that house fig wasp young and are essential for the wasp’s life cycle. Wasp presence is thus limited to certain fig varieties and geographical areas where this co-dependent relationship thrives.