this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2026
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[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 187 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (12 children)

FYI they are very fucking small nowhere near as big as in this image. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fig_wasp

Forcing her way through the ostiole, the mated mature female often loses her wings and most of her antennae. To facilitate her passage through the ostiole, the underside of the female's head is covered with short spines that provide purchase on the walls of the ostiole.

In depositing her eggs, the female also deposits pollen she picked up from her original host fig. This pollinates some of the female flowers on the inside surface of the fig and allows them to mature. After the female wasp lays her eggs and follows through with pollination, she dies.[15]

After pollination, there are several species of non-pollinating wasps that deposit their eggs before the figs harden. These wasps act as parasites to either the fig or possibly the pollinating wasps.

As the fig develops, the wasp eggs hatch and develop into larvae. After going through the pupal stage, the mature male’s first act is to mate with a female - before the female hatches. Consequently, the female will emerge pregnant. The males of many species lack wings and cannot survive outside the fig for a sustained period of time. After mating, a male wasp begins to dig out of the fig, creating a tunnel through which the females escape.[16]

Once out of the fig, the male wasps quickly die. The females find their way out, picking up pollen as they do. They then fly to another tree of the same species, where they deposit their eggs and allow the cycle to begin again.

[–] definitely_AI@feddit.online 86 points 1 week ago (6 children)

Nature is so fucking WEEEEIRD

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[–] Prontomomo@lemmy.world 22 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If you look at the detail in the ghosty wasp, it’s clear that it’s just an edited image of a wasp pasted onto a fig

[–] SendMePhotos@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I went and looked that up on my own and I could've just clicked into the comments?!

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

When i came to the post there were no comments to quell my worries so i had to check and share what i found :D

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[–] ignotum@lemmy.world 16 points 1 week ago

nowhere as big as in this image

Yeah when they're alive, but everyone knows you grow larger when you become a ghost

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[–] ViatorOmnium@piefed.social 57 points 1 week ago (7 children)

Most commercially and home grown produced figs are self-pollinating, only a few wild fig species require wasps to pollinate them. So most people will only ever see wasp-free figs.

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Oh thank god.

I know commercial farming is usually terrible, but this bit just seems like a win

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[–] CIA_chatbot@lemmy.world 40 points 1 week ago (3 children)

This is why fig newtons taste like delicious hate

[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 14 points 1 week ago

I use them when I need to channel the ghosts of 1000 angry wasps.

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[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 30 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (9 children)

Ah btw, ground coffee literally has ground bugs in it. To the point, that some people get allergic to it.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 29 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Everything we eat has allowable amounts of bugs, it's everwhere.

[–] LorIps@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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[–] blimthepixie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 1 week ago (13 children)
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 31 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Most vegans do. The general idea is to avoid exploiting animals, but the wasps are living out their natural life cycle. There are a small number of people who do worry about preventing wild insect suffering but they're not concerned particularly with figs.

[–] tidderuuf@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Vegans eat other foods that use fertilizer. Fertilizers could contain meat or meat byproducts... So....

[–] username_1@programming.dev 10 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Fertilizers could contain meat

Can you provide an example? Sounds strange. Too expensive.

[–] breadsmasher@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago (9 children)

cow is made of meat.

cow eats grass.

cow has a shit.

said shit is collected to form manure.

this manure is an animal byproduct which the animal did not consent to you taking.

Same as bees and honey.

Im not vegan but thats what a vegan explained to me

[–] aeiou@piefed.social 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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[–] blimthepixie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Consent is needed to pick up animal shit now??

[–] definitely_AI@feddit.online 10 points 1 week ago

Most certainly, that's expensive shit!

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[–] affenlehrer@feddit.org 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Ethical vegans want to avoid suffering. If figs cause or experience suffering is a philosophical question.

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[–] 58008@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Would this render figs off limits for vegans and vegetarians? 🤔

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[–] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago

No wonder God hates figs

[–] Arachnidbrilliant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 1 week ago (32 children)
[–] TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (9 children)

I'm a vegan, although not super strict. But I knew some terror vegans who do not consider vigs vegan.

The definition of "vegan" differs. Like, I don't like products that had a nervous system. So technically I could eat oysters. But some vegans consider oranges not to be vegan because there might be an animal product in the pesticides used on oranges. Some claim they only use plant based products, but they get mad when I ask them about fungi, as their cell structure looks more like an animal cell than a plant cell (I love to make terror vegans mad).

Being vegan means you buy products which fit your idea of being vegan.

And sadly for some it means you need to be a fucking asshole to anyone you meet.

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[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Idk isn't that like saying all animal pollinated plants are not vegan?

[–] Arachnidbrilliant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Well, this one’s got a literal animal inside of it… Is all I’m saying

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[–] Nangijala@feddit.dk 16 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)

And the bitter pistachio nuts are bitter because you're eating a dead worm that died inside the nut.

Always, always, always double check the pistachio before you eat it. Learned it the hard way and have spread the word ever since. People's reactions are always the same shock horror expression when they realize what the bitter pistachios really are.

[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 18 points 1 week ago (2 children)
[–] Nangijala@feddit.dk 14 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

If the nut looks slightly deformed and/or is dark in the shell and the nut inside is dark, it is not because it was roasted. It's because there is a worm inside. There's often a bit of web inside as well. That is not a part of the pistachio. That is the worm's web.

I know. It is traumatic, but you know now and I'm glad that you do.

The only bad thing about realizing this about pistachios is that I have personally struggled to eat them since, and they used to be one of my favourite snacks. Hopefully, you will be more resilient than me.

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[–] fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 9 points 1 week ago

I read it, but I'm going to try and forget it as soon as possible.

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[–] zod000@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This post is informative, horrifying, and indeed very, very spoopy.

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Its not 100% accurate. Some wasps get trapped, not all. And there exists a fig species that doesn't need wasps

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[–] Lighttrails@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 week ago (2 children)
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[–] Ghostie@lemmy.zip 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

Great. My stomach is now haunted by wasp ghosts. Thanks again 2026.

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[–] definitely_AI@feddit.online 11 points 1 week ago

I thought for sure this was a joke.

It isn't.

This happens.

[–] ThatGuy46475@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

So that’s why god hates figs

[–] definitely_AI@feddit.online 17 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I mean, Jesus literally said as much.

Matthew 21:18-22 - Jesus Curses a Fig Tree

18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. 20 And God looketh at Jesus and saideth to himeth- this is a valid crashout-eth.

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[–] deacon@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This actually explains the infamous Fig Newton Debacle of ‘92, which my extended family is still divided over.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 9 points 1 week ago

New! Fig Newtons: Oops! All Wasps!

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