Back home after a longer weekend away from figs, I was given the surprise of seeing  wasps all over the small potted plants .

Caprifig 'Odel' (potted) showing various of its Profichi sufficiently ripen (soft at touch) had issued certainly many hundreds of wasps diligently visiting all nearby figs, some already sporting strong evidence of being effectively pollinated.

This is happening some 3 weeks ahead of schedule.
This, to my knowledge, is the first time wasps are issued so early in the season.

Francisco

Thanks Francisco photo.

abandon amount of wasps, definitely a good sign of a good harvest year ahead :)

Everything is early in my part of California too. Don't know about the local wasps, but we've been eating ripe apricots for more than a week. In May!

As always I love your posts Francisco. I will start watching my capri.

It's a beautiful thing Francisco !

Wasps are everywhere in Fresno. They can practically cover a fig on some of these trees.

Thank you all for your nice words and comments.

-  Vladis, are your yellow Caprifigs already issuing wasps ?
(Ваши желтые Caprifigs уже выдают ос?)

-  Aaron, that's correct but, also most important is a far better (quality wise) harvest

-  Gina, We have similar early ripening here but Caprifigs, never before mid June!

-  Tami, thank you..This particular Capri was potted (from a cutting)  6 years ago and gave the first good Profichis 3 years later..see the small fig (3rd picture). That's a Mammoni, the Summer crop and again this is the first time it produces Mammoni figs..Something is changing the beaviour of this male fig tree.

- Pattee, thanks

-  brianm, That's very interesting . I would love to see a couple of pictures of your Profichis with wasps
Are these insects already flying around or not yet hatched ??
With all those wasps around I would grow a selection of the best Smyrna figs, apart from all other good Common and San Pedro.

Francisco

Time for some caprified breba? :)

Harvey,

Being early good wasps, I think they come too late for brebas..The breba inflorescence is far much advanced into fruiting. What do you think ?

How about your wasps ? already out ??

Francisco

I just checked...don't seem to be hatched yet, I opened several profichi and didn't see the wasps crawling around.  It is windy here today but I did notice one wasp land on a profichi, seems most likely to have come from an old mammoni.  The eyes on all of the profichi are tight but some are getting a little soft.

Once you feel them soft and 'heavy' as my grand dad would say,  it's time to pick them up and give to a friend in need ....

The eye may show some almost imperceptible signs of being worked out from the inside out..
with a good mag glass you may see through a tiny opening,  the head of a male wasp, honey colored, chewing with its powerful mandibles the hard scales to open a passage for the girls..

Francisco