Is There a Wasp in My Fruit? Here's Why Figs May Not Be Vegan (2024)

FAQs

Is There a Wasp in My Fruit? Here's Why Figs May Not Be Vegan? ›

At the end of her life cycle, a female wasp will crawl into the tiny opening of the fig flower to lay her eggs. During the process her antennas and wings will be broken off, causing her to die shortly afterwards. The fig then digests the wasp's body using an enzyme.

Thanks to an enzyme (known as ficin) that's present in figs, the dead wasps are simply broken down and absorbed back into the fruit. Remember, not all figs have wasps in them. Some varieties - including many grown for the supermarkets - don't need to be pollinated by fig wasps.

“Whilst it is true that the majority of figs have had a wasp die inside them, it is in no meaningful way true to say that a vegan eating such a fig is really eating the wasp,” writes Vegan Friendly. “This whole process occurs naturally with no human involvement or cruelty to animals.

In short, NO. By the time the ingredients are turned into 'newtons' or anything else, there's no more detectable amount of wasp in them than there is co*ckroach or common fly.

Most commercial figs, like the ones you buy at the store, are grown without wasps. While wasp bodies may add some crunch to a tasty fig, you probably won't find a wasp inside a fig you are about to eat, even if you look really hard.

The tiny fig wasps that pollinate the figs die and get totally absorbed as nutrients in the figs. They are not the kind that would sting someone. Wasp allergies apply to being stung. So, no there should not be a problem eating figs.

You'll restrict grains and foods made with them, such as bread and pasta. You also limit starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, as well as beans and legumes. And you'll cut high-sugar tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, and bananas, as well as fruit juices and sweets.

In ecological terms male figs produce edible insects (fig wasps) but not edible fruit. Female figs produce edible fruit (figs) and seeds but not insects.

The bottom line. Vegans try to avoid or minimize all forms of animal exploitation, including that of bees. As a result, most vegans exclude honey from their diets. Some vegans also avoid honey to take a stand against conventional beekeeping practices that can harm bee health.

When the fig is ripe, other insects (including ants) also enter the fruit through this opening to take a free meal. Figs need to be ripened on the tree because they stop sugar conversion once plucked. Fig tree ripening is often accompanied by the oozing out of a drop of sweet nectar through the eye.

Do figs have mosquitoes in them? ›

My friend and many others believe there are insects inside figs. And they're right, as it turns out. Fig trees only bear fruit thanks to something called a fig wasp. The wasps are born inside the figs, and when the females hatch, they crawl out to find a new fig in which they can lay their own eggs.

A: Figs are super attractive to all types of birds, so the netting is not a bad idea. Unfortunately, other creatures of the night will show up and help themselves once they discover your tree. Opossums, raccoons, rats and mice all like to feast on the soft fruit and can climb the tree to get it.

Some Figs Don't Need Wasps

The varieties of figs that don't require pollination are brown turkey, celeste, and mission. Caprifigs, smyrna, and san pedro figs do rely on wasps for pollination. Additionally, Calimyrna figs grown in California aren't pollinated by wasps.

The crunchy little things that you notice when eating a fig are the seeds, each corresponding to one flower. Such a unique flower requires a unique pollinator. All fig trees are pollinated by very small wasps of the family Agaonidae.

Why can't vegans eat figs? Some vegans see the mutual relationship between wasps and figs as animal exploitation and ultimately animal consumption. They, therefore, avoid figs entirely. Most vegans, however, consider figs to be vegan and consume them.

They taste best eaten straight off the tree, ideally still warm from the sun. The entire fig is edible, from the thin skin to the red or purplish flesh and the myriad tiny seeds, but they can be peeled if you wish. Always cut off the stem. Wash the figs and gently pat dry to serve whole.

He cut open a dried fig and saw a small dark spot just inside its ostiole — a small opening on the round bottom of a fig, through which female wasps crawl to lay their eggs. He placed the specimen under a microscope, and sure enough, it was the remnant of a wasp.

Fresh Green figs can be washed and consumed straight out of hand, drizzled with honey and served with cheeses, or tossed into salads. Green figs can also be used as an edible topping over yogurt, pancakes, and oatmeal, wrapped in prosciutto as an appetizer, or stuffed with nuts and cheese.