Do Figs Actually Contain the Bodies of Dead Wasps? Exploring the Validity of This Claim
Some varieties of figs are self-pollinators and likely do not have wasps in them.
Published Jan. 27 2025, 1:54 p.m. ET
Figs are a popular (and yummy) fruit and great source of calcium, as well as a natural powerhouse for those seeking iron. However, there is a prevailing claim that makes many vegans question whether figs are safe to consume if you maintain a plant-based diet.
Some people believe that the dead bodies of wasps are contained within all figs, thus rendering them unfit for vegans to consume. Below, we explore the truthfulness of this claim, how some vegans feel about it, and assess whether figs have a place in your vegan diet.
Are there dead wasps in figs?
Yes, dead wasps are contained within some varieties of figs that require them to pollinate. According to Bon Appétit, when a female wasp enters a fig that requires pollination, a gruesome process occurs: during the egg-laying process, the female wasp's antennae snap, and her wings are ripped from her body, effectively trapping her within the unripe fig.
Male wasps hatched within the fig mate with their "sister" offspring and bite through the fig to provide a way out for the female offspring. After mating, wingless male wasps die within the fig, according to the U.S. Forest Service, as the female offspring then emerge from the fig with their dead mother and brothers left behind.
If you are picturing a ghastly collection of wasp corpses inside a fig, think again. According to the Virginia-based Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, fig trees produce ficin, an enzyme that ultimately dissolves dead wasp bodies.
Therefore, it is not very likely that biting into a fig would reveal any disturbing scenes.
Are figs vegan?
Technically, some varieties of figs are vegan (those that self-pollinate) while other varieties of figs are not (those that require wasp pollination). Ultimately, eating figs as a vegan comes down to personal comfort levels.
As Charlotte Pointing writes in VegNews, wasp pollination of figs is termed "obligate mutualism," which signifies that both figs and wasps depend upon one another for continued survival in nature. "Fig pollination is a result of nature, not human intervention, and for that reason, many vegans still eat figs," Pointing says.
If the prospect of consuming a fig that contains a dissolved wasp is too unsettling, opt for fig varieties that are self-pollinating.
Are all figs pollinated by wasps?
According to Bon Appétit, some varieties of figs do not require pollination by way of wasps. Per UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences expert Louise Ferguson, fig varieties such as Mission, "Sierra, Celeste, Adriatic, Kadota, and the Brown Turkey fig," are capable of self-pollinating.
"There’s no real way to tell from the outside, but if the fig contains seeds it will have been pollinated [by a fig wasp],” author and ecologist Mike Shanahan told Bon Appétit.
However, per Tasting Table, the Calimyrna fig, which gets its name from an amalgamation of "California" and its origin in Smyrna, Turkey, is a variety of fig that undergoes wasp pollination. According to Tasting Table, a wasp the size of two millimeters will burrow into the fig and lay eggs. Upon hatching, the new wasps emerge to pollinate other figs and/or repeat the egg-laying cycle.