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So_Cal_Mike

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
In June I picked a couple of figs from a tree over-hanging a wall and they had fig wasps in them. Does that necessarily mean that the tree was a caprifig? 

Fig_Wasps_L.jpg 

Fig_Wasps_D.jpg 

Thanks,

-Mike

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brianm

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
That definitely is a capri fig.
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So_Cal_Mike

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Good to know brianm.

My thought was to nab a cutting of it to root, and keep a tree in a pot as a home for the wasps.

Thanks,

-Mike
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brianm

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Yea we have many Capri figs here in Fresno.
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Elfarach

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
How's is going Mike... Welcome to the forum...
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So_Cal_Mike

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Things are going great, and thank you Elfarach.
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greenfig

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Mike,
Good to see one more SoCal person! Welcome!
What city is closest to you?
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So_Cal_Mike

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
I'm in South Ventura County
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Aaron4USA

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Mike,
Beautiful pictures.
The winged black ones are the females and the reddish-brown ones (with no more wings, they lose their wings as they enter the fig) are the males, were destined to die in the fig itself.

Welcome to THE forum, where it all happens :)
greenfig

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Quote:
Originally Posted by So_Cal_Mike
I'm in South Ventura County

Mike,
You just west of some of us and really close to R. Watts in Camarillo. He has a lot of varieties for a very reasonable price.
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lampo

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Mike,

Welcome to the forum.
Congratulations for this find, the pictures and your sharing such a nice piece of news with all of us.

That particular fig, given the timing you mention (June) was a good Profichi caprifig  with plenty of insects
and male flowers with pollen (on the inside just under the eye) . By that date thousands of wasps loaded with eggs and good fertilizing pollen left that tree to pollinate neighboring figs in the area as well as the following crop in that same tree (the Mammoni).

If you can, try and prepare for a couple of generous air layers on selected branches of that tree now and cutting these to take home  in  April with an immediate potting in a 3 or 4 gal pot, or straight to the ground.

With luck you could well have in June/2015 on the yard ,your caprifig with half a dozen of good Profichis to pollinate your figs.
The cuttings are also an option but they will take much longer to generate good caprifigs

Good luck
Francisco
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lisascenic

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Is there a map or any other source of information on the distribution of fig wasps in the US?
So_Cal_Mike

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lisascenic
Is there a map or any other source of information on the distribution of fig wasps in the US?


That is a fantastic idea, a map that users on the forum could post locations on, when spotting fig wasps in a specific area. It may also have some scientific value for researchers studying the distribution of the wasp.

The problem may lie in the user being able to differentiate between the pollinating and non-pollinating fig wasps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fig_wasp
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lisascenic

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Okay then, how about this question: are there fig wasps in Oakland California?
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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Oh what great pictures. Little by little this situation is starting to come into focus for me. But I still don't understand the part about the mammoni. HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYBODY!
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Donna
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lampo

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Donna,

A good Caprifig produces 3 wild fig crops:

The first - Profichi - Ripening by mid June carrying a lot of wasps (1st generation) , and fertilizing pollen

The second - Mammoni - Being receptive and to accept wasps from the Profichi in June/July, will grow through summer and ripen in the fall... liberating the second generation of wasps

The third - Mamme - Receptive for wasps from the Mammoni will grow through the remaining part of the fall and winter, and providing shelter for wasps until mid March of the following year..

By this time the Profichi are receptive a new cycle starts following the same sequence.

On every crop, entering wasps lay eggs on the special female flowers (galls) where the following wasp generation develops ready for the next crop
The only crop producing good fertilizing pollen and wasps is the Profichi, ...by this time most of the Smyrna and Common figs are receptive for caprification.

If you have the time and patience, I would suggest you to go through these pages..
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/arbimg10.htm#mamme

Francisco
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rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
I've seen the results of fig wasps (saplings in wild areas) as far north as Gridley, CA and one of our members near SF found some wasps.
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rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
Lampo, do you have any experience with persistent caprifigs?  Or edible persistent caprifigs?  Rumor has it that they don't hold as many wasps as the caducous but do they hold enough to pollinate a few dozen trees in a greenhouse?  Do they hold enough to sustain a wasp population from year to year?
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lampo

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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
rcantor,
My understanding regarding the persistence of the Caprifig tells me that, to exist. it must be a very special fruit. Throughout many years, have seen and confirmed the symbiotic relationship between the insect and the Caprifig... if for whatever reason, climate extremes for instance, in a given season, wasps fail to enter any of the 3 crops, all figs of that crop will rapidly soften, turn yellow and fall to the ground.

Eisen spoke of insectiferous and polleniferous Caprifigs on the same tree
Polleniferous being those Profichi figs with no galls (wasps) but with plenty of male flowers (pollen).
In a sense these polleniferous Caprifigs seem to respond to your definition of persistence (?).. however I have never seen such fig.

Have on some years taken  Profichi figs from a remote wild tree exiting wasps rather late.
These are  large Caprifigs with not many wasps, and with sweet edible flesh and skin.
Contrary to the average Caprifig (dry insides) this one looks rather juicy.
It helps to pollinate  late varieties like Beb.Branca , Black Bourjassote, ,,etc
here the pictures of this late Profichi


P1030254.JPG  P1030255 - Cópia.JPG 

Francisco
Portugal
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