Figs!
Baby Figs
This has been an amazing year for our Fig tree! A fig tree continuously produces wee little nubs at the base of the leaves, which are actually inverted flowers. A particular kind of wasp lays its eggs inside the nub, and the larval stages are spent right inside the fruit. The male hatchlings fertilise the females and then crawl out of the fruit. The females crawl out the hole left by the males, and find another baby fig to pollinate!
The littlest girl in the cupboard hopped up into the tree to inspect the fascinating baby figs…are there any wasps in there?
Big Figs
The Fig leaves fall off in the autumn, and the figlets stay on the tree all winter! The next year, if the fig survives, if it has been pollinated, and if the weather is warm, it will grow into a fruit! When they are ripe, these figs are green-skinned and green inside.
Fig Harvest
Look at them all!
Fig Feast
Gilly was a little leery of tasting them, but we guarantee there are no dead wasps inside the fruit!!
Many people have only ever tasted dried figs. If this is so, and you get the chance, we highly recommend tasting a fresh ripe fig which has a completely different flavour and texture!
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Quimper Hittys 
Our Brown Turkeys were delightful and abundant this year, but the weather caused the season to shorten considerably…and the mockingbirds poked their beaks into just about every one. Still waiting on the other tree to produce a tasty fig. Lovely as usual, Quimper Hittys!
I do think the brown and purple ones are prettier, but these ones taste good! Drat about the mockingbirds…do you think they are looking for wasps?
Once again, WOW! Last night, my husband (who also follows your blog) and I were talking about how much we enjoy your blog, and are in awe of the fascinating things that weave their ways through your life. Thank you for sharing all these delights!
You are so welcome! I guess the curiosity gets ahold of us and we find out things that are endlessly fascinating! I think it helps to have a small individual around, it kind of helps to focus attention on different things!
Nature is a marvel for sure. I never knew about the way figs are pollenated and was fascinated by learning how it’s done. Your figs look pretty enough to be in a still life painting and seeing Gilly climbing up that fig stem is a treasure to behold…I love that little girl. Still gotta admit…seeing that split fig…looked to me as though not all those little larval made it outside the fruit. “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing…”
I promise those are the seeds, not the larvae. Sometimes when the morning light is just right, everything looks like a Vermeer painting…at least it does if you are between 3 and 6 1/4 inches tall!
how intriguing! Wasps and figs!! Oh the things I learn reading this blog. I don’t blame Gilly for being a tad cautious about them. Have never tasted a fresh fig but plan to make it a mission to do so!
There would be no figs without those wasps! Also there would be no bananas without bats, but that is another story…