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Parasitoid Fig Wasp on a fruit Found newly hatched inside the Septic Fig (Ficus septica) that I opened. A very tiny, 4mm wasp with more than half of its body its ovipositor which is used to drill the eggs into the fig fruit from the surface. This is not the beneficial pollinating fig wasp as it does not enter fig fruits to pollinate the flowers. A Pteromalidae species, a parasitoid which lay eggs on other fig wasp inside the fruit. Fig pollination is very complex as it needs tiny fig wasps to pollinate it but there also many fig wasps that do not pollinate and are parasites instead. Geotagged,Malaysia,Summer Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Parasitoid Fig Wasp on a fruit

Found newly hatched inside the Septic Fig (Ficus septica) that I opened. A very tiny, 4mm wasp with more than half of its body its ovipositor which is used to drill the eggs into the fig fruit from the surface. This is not the beneficial pollinating fig wasp as it does not enter fig fruits to pollinate the flowers. A Pteromalidae species, a parasitoid which lay eggs on other fig wasp inside the fruit. Fig pollination is very complex as it needs tiny fig wasps to pollinate it but there also many fig wasps that do not pollinate and are parasites instead.

    comments (6)

  1. This is the fig species this wasp is associated with:
    Septic Figs A common species of fig across Asia. It is called "septic" for its poisonous and corrosive latex which protects it from most herbivores.  Fruits remain green when ripe. Fruits are mostly eaten and dispersed by fruit bats.<br />
<br />
Borneo has around 150 native fig species and I have documented one third of it with 1StopBorneo Wildlife expeditions. I enjoy documenting figs as they are unique. Their flowers grow inside the fruits and can only be pollinated by specialized fig wasps which enters and breed inside the fruits.  Ficus septica,Geotagged,Malaysia,Summer,ficus septica
    Posted 4 years ago
  2. This is so cool, Chun, an insect few of us every get to see. Thanks for sharing! Posted 4 years ago
    1. Thanks Ferdy. These are indeed cool little wasps. I realize they are quite abundant and widespread but we just not paying close attention enough. Sometimes we may just mistook them as ants. Posted 4 years ago
      1. Agree, there's a lot of insects in the < 1cm domain that are overlooked. Even for regular 1:1 macro hard to capture or ID. Posted 4 years ago
  3. That's a truly awesome find, Chun! Posted 4 years ago
    1. Thanks Christine. This is also one of my most favourite finds too. Posted 4 years ago

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By _ChunXingWong_

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Uploaded Oct 29, 2020. Captured Jul 10, 2020 00:28 in Tongod District, Sabah, Malaysia.
  • Canon PowerShot SX70 HS
  • f/5.0
  • 1/64s
  • ISO100
  • 18.786mm