Carey Island: They Gathered Every Everning Above A Figs Tree !!!

While driving out of the Carey Island BH, I saw a sizable number of swiftlet flying around and above a big tree.

It must be a Figs tree, I told myself.

Well there is nothing wrong to stop and perhaps go near the tree and check what is so special about the tree.

Before checking on what brings those birds to the tree I need to confirm that it was a figs tree.

First I look at the leaves but more important is its fruits.

The size, where they come out at and make sure when you squeeze open the middle portion have this kind of tips with its minute seeds.

Those tips at one time are the flowers.

Figs tree do not flower on its branches however the tree will straight away bear fruits and inside the fruits are where their flowers grow.

To pollinate each flower stigma some kind of insect have to perform this duty.

This is where figs warps come into play.

Upon reaching a flowering stage the fruits will emit a special odor that will attract those pollinators.

The figs warps will start laying their eggs inside the figs fruits and upon maturity these young warps will perform the translocation of pollen grains to all those stigma found inside the fruits.

Once the tips of those stigma are pollinated the seeds will grow and ready to be spread all over the forest.

The figs warps when they are ready will find their way out of the fruits through a tunnel bored by a male figs warp.

They will move to other figs trees to perform their duties and the cycle never stop.

What other insects do you think are colonizing a figs tree with a lot of ripe fruits?

I can imagine a lot of them.

They came because of those smell brought about by the fruits.

First they are usually being consumed by birds.

Every morning you will see hundreds of birds will come to feed on those ripe fruits.

You will see a lot of their feces on the leaves.

These rotting feces attract a lot of insects beside those ripe fruits that falls to the ground.

Please enjoy these pictures taken while I was conducting some kind of curiosity walk below this Figs tree.