An update on what my wasps are doing.

Caught by a tiny spider web when attempting to pollinate a Zidi

 

Working on Violeta aka Black Madeira

 

Pollinating a Pastillière

 

On a 'Couro Duro'

 

On a ´Côtia Verdeal'

 

On a 'Violette de Solliès' aka 'Bourjassotte Noire'

 

cheers
Francisco

May your wasps and figs prosper greatly!

Very nice, Francisco!
My wasps are keep coming too in great numbers, as well as a billion of ants that like them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. :(

Are these the main crop being pollinated already? 

Bass, if that question is for me then yes, it is time to pollinate the main crop in California

Thank you All for your comments and taking your time to look at these wasps

Bob, Thank you for your kind wishes

Igor, Yes these little guys do have a lot of predators but, fortunately, they are too many and keep coming 'squadron' after 'squadron'. All figs are potted.
The wasp providers, also potted, are the Odel Profichi....may be a dozen fruit or so but quite well developed and with many insects, not far from 1,000 per fig.

Bass, Correct! .. Otherwise could not be. All these figs are main crop fruit being caprificated, regardless of being Smyrna, Common or San Pedro.
Estimate around 20 days earlier than the standard timing , given the very mild climate, well distributed spring rains, sunny days, etc   Brebas are now either already fully ripen or well advanced into their respective inflorescence's and not at all receptive for any pollination

Francisco

Thanks Francisco for posting these pictures, they are great and its really cool to see the wasps at work. That is awesome that you already have main crop figs that large and being caprificated. It sounds like you are off to a great start to this fig season. 

@lampo:
I think that you are with the most-know-how about fig-wasp on this forum;
thanks for all the (past/consistent/timely) other info.
I think you should write a book about this (complex) subject....

Gorgi,

Thank you. What I am trying to show, and for those interested on the subject, is that this is not such a complex business and that it is at the reach of the most of us.
Sincerely, I would expect this season, for at least a couple of successful experiences, be they in California and/or far from that State.
As regards to the book suggestion, I may say that the procedures can easily be condensed  on a page or two, outlining the process step by step. Will wait to the coming fall and by that time expect to listen to some successfull attempts and to learn from you.

Francisco

Hi! Francisco, 

How are you? Thank you for good information on fig wasps. Can you please let me know more information on these fig wasps. How cold can they live and can they pollinate partially closed eye common figs?  I am living in the Eastern United States. My cold hardiness zone is 7A (0^oF to 10^oF) but my average winter temperature is above 25^oF. I want to grow a male Caprifig tree in my area? Can a male Caprifig produce enough pollen in my area? Can you please show me how to pollinate figs manually? What is the best technique should I use and when is the best time to do the transfer of pollen? How can I hand pollinate a closed eye figs, like Celeste? Please let me know when you have a chance. Thank you very much.

Best,
Tam

Hi greenfig,
I don't remember where I read that here or there, but split a lemon in quarters and put that at the base of the trees against ants.
I'm trying that since yesterday :)
If your neighbors ask what your doing ... Don't tell them I told you to :), just say something like "I like the yellow color or the smell " :)

Hi Tam,

Let me try and summarize answers to all your questions:

A) If your environment is not of the Mediterranean type, it will be very difficult or practically impossible to raise a colony of wasps .

B) When figs are receptive to pollination, the eye will always be closed although Nature helps, softening the area around the ostiole thus helping wasps to lift the tiny scales, opening a slot to entry the syconium.

C) I cannot tell if a Caprifig produces good (or any) pollen in your area. I would suggest you try and root a couple of cuttings and to see how they develop.I suspect that in the absence of wasps inside their gall flowers the Profichi crop will most probably  dry and fall.

D) What variety and size are the figs you intend to pollinate ? Show me a couple of pictures please..
Ideally you should have some Smyrna or San Pedro main crop  figs to test the system and while you wait to have the ingredients for manual pollination, try and get some good Profichi to bring close to your figs and do it naturally. You could test this, sometime in July..?

I would suggest you take some of your time and read/explore this page as well as sub-adjacent links treating fig pollination and Caprifigs
it's very good reading and learning

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/pljune99.htm

Francisco

Francisco: Thank you very much for very helpful information and the very good link in Caprifigs. I have one Caprifig: Black Bursa from Turkey and one San Pedro: ‎Filacciano. So, if an open eye variety from a common fig gets pollinated, the eye will naturally close itself? This is very good new. Once I have a Caprifig tree growing in my backyard, I am going to buy fig wasps from Aaron and Greenfig every summer. This will be a good business for Aaron and Greenfig. Again thank you. 

Best,
Tam

Thanks for posting the photos Lampo.  Do you have a photo of the leaves on your 'Violette de Solliès' aka 'Bourjassotte Noire'?  Is that the same fig as Barnisotte from UCDavis?

impressive!  beautiful pictures.. "parabens, amigo!"

Tam,

You should not worry about the eye of a fig being open or close (*). At the time of pollination, to my knowledge, they are ALL well closed. It will be up to the insect to work out its skills to open a tiny entrance between the ostiole scales to move in with the pollen. you should not interfere!

Black Bursa is not a Caprifig - it's a Smyrna fig  and if you bring in Profichis with wasps, it could be a good test fig but it has to be receptive . Can you show us pictures of your Bursa fig?? Also pics of the Filacciano ? and the Caprifig ?

(*) Talk about open or close fig eyes will only make sense during the last ripening stages

Joe,

Barnisotte is a distinct cultivar.. not the same as Bourjassotte noire . Have a look on the attach. pictures of the leaves of this Bourjassotte noire.

Grasa,

Thank you very much,  'minha mana' !

Francisco

   

Tam

Sent you a PM

Francisco

Still very active and in this case apparently disputing which one to move first into a Panachée

 

a more orderly job on a Greek ' Smyrnaika '

 

and on a Vassilika Melissi

 

All above figs have a cross diameter of approx 12 to 15 mm - 1/2" - 5/8" .
This gives an idea of when figs are receptive, and ready for pollination

Francisco

Very nice photos, thanks for sharing.

Best,
Tam

Lovely pics Francisco, very good tutorial!