There are 3 different species of figs in this photo taken in the garden of Robert Ong’s Sepilok B & B next to the Rainforest Discovery Centre at Sepilok in Sabah. On the left is a young Ficus callosa fig tree. In the centre is a typical small Ficus septica tree and on the right is a young Ficus lepicarpa shrub.
The photos taken for this article are of a male Ficus septica tree on the left hand side of a tourist cabin at Robert Ong’s B&B at Sepilok.
Ficus septica: This is a male fig from which the already pregnant female fig wasps are about to emerge before flying off to pollinate a female fig nearby. Notice the open ostiole with an insect emerging and the old rotting male figs on the same twig. Notice also the hole on the side of the fig at the rear. These holes are made by male wasps to allow female wasps to escape from the fig without damaging their wings. Numerous insects usually attend the mass birthing and departure of the female fig wasps. These insects may be predators of the wasps, defenders of the wasps or fig parasites.
