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DefiantStomp t1_ix5xugs wrote

They're often pollinated by "fig wasps". They burrow in and lay eggs inside. The eggs hatch and the babies breed and then the males burrow their way out to fall and die. The females follow that tunnel and fly away to another fig.

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Serious_Growth_7000 t1_ix8hc04 wrote

Those are the little crunchy bits. The ones that didn't make it outside....

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soyarin t1_ix8hwbq wrote

The fig actually absorbs the wasps. The crunchy bits are just the seeds. On another note there are modified figs that don't require polination from wasps. I'm pretty sure the majority of figs in super markets are the "waspless" kind.

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Serious_Growth_7000 t1_ix9e3be wrote

Of course I know. Was just pulling everybody's leg. The fig requires a very specific vigwasp, who only lives in tropical and subtropical climates. Every fig growing above/below this climate belt, is self pollinating.

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