Uploaded February 2023 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
The life of the fig wasp is nature at its worst—from our human perspective, anyway. In order to lay their eggs, female fig wasps have to squeeze into the flowering body of a fig, losing their wings and antennae along the way. It's all downhill from there.
Would you like your own fig wasp pin? Find yours here: https://complexly.store/products/bizarre-beasts-pin-fig-wasp
Subscribe to the pin club here: https://complexly.store/products/bizarre-beasts-pin-subscription
This month's pin is designed by Lauren Norby. You can find out more about him and his work here: instagram.com/laurennorby/?hl=en
You can cancel any time by emailing hello@dftba.com
Host: Sarah Suta (she/her)
Follow us on socials:
Instagram: instagram.com/bizarrebeastsshow
Facebook: facebook.com/BizarreBeastsShow
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bizarrebeastsshow.bsky.social
#BizarreBeasts #figs #wasps #figwasp
-----
Sources:
europepmc.org/article/PMC/3001375
sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100615191649.htm
cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(05)01466-1
fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/fig_wasp.shtml
docslib.org/doc/8930073/2001-fig-eating-by-vertebrates-frugivores-a-global-review
docslib.org/doc/8930073/2001-fig-eating-by-vertebrates-frugivores-a-global-review
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/life-and-death-fig-wasp
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/fig-wasps-pollen
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/figs-without-wasps
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/figs-food-webs
docslib.org/doc/8930073/2001-fig-eating-by-vertebrates-frugivores-a-global-review
docslib.org/doc/5404145/how-fig-trees-are-pollinated
https://geo.cbs.umn.edu/Weiblen2002.pdf
esa.org/esablog/2011/05/20/the-story-of-the-fig-and-its-wasp
britannica.com/animal/fig-wasp
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3645034
------
Images:
docs.google.com/document/d/1qSxmoK4DVPtwGJ8wJOv3fLoX5BBrRFtXgDMDevefHfo/edit
The life of the fig wasp is nature at its worst—from our human perspective, anyway. In order to lay their eggs, female fig wasps have to squeeze into the flowering body of a fig, losing their wings and antennae along the way. It's all downhill from there.
Would you like your own fig wasp pin? Find yours here: https://complexly.store/products/bizarre-beasts-pin-fig-wasp
Subscribe to the pin club here: https://complexly.store/products/bizarre-beasts-pin-subscription
This month's pin is designed by Lauren Norby. You can find out more about him and his work here: instagram.com/laurennorby/?hl=en
You can cancel any time by emailing hello@dftba.com
Host: Sarah Suta (she/her)
Follow us on socials:
Instagram: instagram.com/bizarrebeastsshow
Facebook: facebook.com/BizarreBeastsShow
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bizarrebeastsshow.bsky.social
#BizarreBeasts #figs #wasps #figwasp
-----
Sources:
europepmc.org/article/PMC/3001375
sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100615191649.htm
cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(05)01466-1
fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/fig_wasp.shtml
docslib.org/doc/8930073/2001-fig-eating-by-vertebrates-frugivores-a-global-review
docslib.org/doc/8930073/2001-fig-eating-by-vertebrates-frugivores-a-global-review
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/life-and-death-fig-wasp
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/fig-wasps-pollen
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/figs-without-wasps
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/figs-food-webs
docslib.org/doc/8930073/2001-fig-eating-by-vertebrates-frugivores-a-global-review
docslib.org/doc/5404145/how-fig-trees-are-pollinated
https://geo.cbs.umn.edu/Weiblen2002.pdf
esa.org/esablog/2011/05/20/the-story-of-the-fig-and-its-wasp
britannica.com/animal/fig-wasp
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3645034
------
Images:
docs.google.com/document/d/1qSxmoK4DVPtwGJ8wJOv3fLoX5BBrRFtXgDMDevefHfo/edit
