Fig wasp

A wasp associated with fig trees, often pollinating their flowers while reproducing inside the fig’s enclosed inflorescence. In many species, each fig-wasp species is closely matched to particular fig species.

Fig–fig wasp mutualism: An interaction in which fig wasps pollinate fig flowers and often reproduce within figs. This partnership links the wasp’s reproduction to pollination of the fig.
Ficus: A genus of flowering plants that includes figs, many of which produce enclosed inflorescences. Fig wasps are defined by their close associations with plants in this genus.
Coevolution: Reciprocal evolutionary change between interacting species. Figs and their wasps have evolved traits that influence one another.
Common fig: Ficus carica, a fig species cultivated for its edible fruit. Some common-fig varieties depend on fig wasps for pollination and fruit production.
Non-pollinating fig wasp: A fig-associated wasp that uses figs for reproduction without pollinating their flowers. It shares the fig habitat but does not provide the pollination service of a pollinating fig wasp.
Syconium: The hollow, enclosed inflorescence of a fig, lined with many small flowers. The syconium is the chamber the wasp enters to reach fig flowers and lay eggs.
Fig: A multiple fruit formed from the flowers of a fig plant’s enclosed inflorescence. The structure called a fig houses the flowers and developing wasp offspring.
Joseph Banks: An English botanist who collected and studied plants during the Endeavour voyage. His collections helped bring fig pollination by wasps to European scientific attention.
Caprification: The practice of placing pollinating figs among cultivated fig trees to promote fruit development. It uses fig wasps emerging from pollinating figs to reach cultivated crops.
Parasitism: An interaction in which one organism benefits while harming its host. Some fig wasps exploit figs or other wasps without returning pollination benefits.

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