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The
wingless males mate with the females before chewing a hole through
the fig wall to the exterior to allow the females to escape. These
are the male’s only two functions in life, and he dies soon
afterwards.
The
females either actively gather pollen from the ripe anthers into
special pollen pockets, or in some species passively become covered
with pollen, before exiting the fig in search of young receptive
figs to complete the cycle. Only a few individuals out of thousands
will manage this successfully. This remarkable feat is achieved by
homing in on specific chemical signals released by the fig when it
is receptive for pollination. Even though the fig wasp adults are
only 1 to 2 millimetres in length they are capable of travelling
100’s of kilometres in upper air currents to locate suitable figs
for egg laying. Some do this during the day and others at night.
Night flyers have enlarged compound eyes for improved nocturnal
vision.
Photograph © Simon van
Noort |
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