Fig Tree Reproduction

Yesterday's Video (12/24/2022):

In which, there was an opportunity to chill (no pun intended) on a hammock by the Gulf of Mexico. With the company that I work for, I got my hands on some Figs! This video discusses their reproduction and their relationship with one particular insect; the Fig wasp. Did you know that there are up to 900 separate species of wasps? That's remarkable.

With that number, that means we have several varieties of Figs. Generally, they go by the genus of Ficus. A female wasp must go inside a fruit to bear new young and to pollinate the fruit. The offspring mate with each other (incest) and the males never leave the Fig and wind up dying just like the mother. Essentially each fruit has remnants of the dead Fig wasps.

This is a great example of obligate mutualism. One cannot survive without the other. The Fig wasp provides opportunity for pollination and the tree provides a home for the next Fig wasp generations.

We would never have our delicious Fig Newtons were it not for this process. For another, figs are very nutritional for your diet too 🤙🏼

Merry Christmas 🌲