Ficus
Guides
Agaonidae
fig wasps
Agaonidae is a family of minute chalcidoid wasps comprising the pollinating fig wasps, which maintain an obligate mutualism with Ficus species. Females are winged and darkly pigmented, while males are typically wingless and pale. The family has undergone significant taxonomic revision based on molecular phylogenetics, with former subfamilies Epichrysomallinae, Otitesellinae, Sycoecinae, Sycoryctinae, and Sycophaginae excluded and transferred to other families.
Aphis aurantii
Black Citrus Aphid, Camellia Aphid
Aphis aurantii is an economically significant aphid species known as the Black Citrus Aphid or Camellia Aphid. It is a major pest in commercial tea plantations and gardens in China, where it causes substantial damage to Camellia sinensis. The species exhibits a broad host range across multiple plant families, with documented specialization on Ficus in sympatric populations suggesting ongoing host-associated divergence. Population genetic studies reveal high haplotype diversity across Chinese populations with evidence of recent expansion events and isolation-by-distance patterns.
Ascalapha odorata
black witch, black witch moth, mariposa de la muerte, duppy bat, mariposa-bruxa, ura, money moth, money bat
The black witch moth (Ascalapha odorata) is a large, bat-shaped nocturnal moth and the largest noctuoid in the continental United States. Females reach wingspans up to 24 cm, while males are smaller at approximately 12 cm. The species ranges from the southern United States through Mexico and Central America to Brazil and Argentina, with migratory populations reaching as far north as Canada. It holds prominent cultural significance across Latin America and the Caribbean, where it is widely associated with death, misfortune, and spiritual beliefs.
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fig wasps
Blastophaga is a genus of minute wasps in the family Agaonidae that engage in obligate mutualism with Ficus fig trees, a coevolutionary relationship spanning at least 80 million years. Female wasps enter receptive figs (syconia) through specialized ostioles to lay eggs in flowers and transport pollen, enabling fig reproduction. The genus exhibits varying degrees of host specificity, with some species showing strict fidelity to particular Ficus species while others demonstrate host sharing across multiple varieties. Notable species include Blastophaga psenes, the exclusive pollinator of the common fig (Ficus carica), and Blastophaga javana, associated with Ficus hirta.
Blastophaga psenes
Common Fig Wasp
Blastophaga psenes is a minute chalcidoid wasp, approximately 2 mm in length, and the obligate pollinator of Ficus carica (common fig) and Ficus palmata. Females are winged, black, and shiny; males are smaller, wingless, and do not disperse from the fig. The species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism and a highly specialized mutualistic relationship with its host figs. Adults live only a few days to weeks, breeding exclusively within fig syconia without constructing nests or colonies. The species is native to the Palaearctic region and has been introduced globally to support commercial fig cultivation.
Choreutis
Choreutis is a genus of metalmark moths in the family Choreutidae, established by Jacob Hübner in 1825. It serves as the type genus for both the family Choreutidae and subfamily Choreutinae. Several species within this genus, particularly Choreutis nemorana (fig-tree skeletonizer) and Choreutis sexfasciella (Banyan Leaf Skeletonizer), have become notable as invasive pests of Ficus species, with documented range expansions into Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region.
Epichrysomallidae
Epichrysomallidae is a family of minute gall-forming wasps in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. Formerly classified as a subfamily of Pteromalidae, it was elevated to family rank based on molecular phylogenetic evidence showing closer relationships to other gall-forming chalcid wasps. Members are obligate associates of fig trees (Ficus), inducing galls in figs, on leaves, or on twigs. The family contains approximately 20 described genera distributed across tropical and subtropical regions.
Gynaikothrips
fig thrips, gall thrips, leaf-rolling thrips
Gynaikothrips is a genus of tube-tailed thrips in the family Phlaeothripidae, containing more than 30 described species. Members are gall-inducing insects primarily associated with Ficus species (fig trees), causing leaf folding and gall formation. Several species are economically significant pests of ornamental ficus in tropical and subtropical regions, with some having established invasive populations in North America and other regions. The genus is characterized by its intimate host relationship with fig trees and distinctive leaf-gall biology.
Gynaikothrips ficorum
Cuban laurel thrips, fig leaf-rolling thrips
Gynaikothrips ficorum is a tube-tailed thrips in the family Phlaeothripidae, commonly known as the Cuban laurel thrips or fig leaf-rolling thrips. It is a gall-forming pest of Ficus species, inducing characteristic curled and folded leaf galls where it feeds, reproduces, and shelters. The species has achieved near-cosmopolitan distribution through human transport of its host plants. It was first described by Paul Marchal in 1908 as Phloeothrips ficorum.
Homotoma ficus
Mediterranean fig psyllid, fig psylla
Homotoma ficus is a Mediterranean psyllid species in the family Homotomidae, commonly known as the Mediterranean fig psyllid or fig psylla. It has been introduced to regions outside its native range, including Serbia, through the cultivation of fig plants. The species can cause economic damage to its host plant in certain years. First described by Linnaeus in 1758 as Chermes ficus, it is now classified under the genus Homotoma.
Homotomidae
fig psyllids, mulberry psyllids
Homotomidae is a family of small phloem-feeding insects in the superfamily Psylloidea, commonly known as fig or mulberry psyllids. Members feed almost exclusively on Moraceae, primarily the genus Ficus, with rare exceptions such as Triozamia on Antiaris toxicaria. The family contains approximately 70 described species across three subfamilies: Dynopsyllinae, Macrohomotominae, and Homotominae. Several species are economically significant pests of ornamental and cultivated figs, including the invasive Macrohomotoma gladiata, which has spread from Asia to Europe, North Africa, and North America.
Lymire edwardsii
Edwards' Wasp Moth, rubber tree caterpillar
Lymire edwardsii is a moth in the family Erebidae (subfamily Arctiinae) described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1881. The species is known for its caterpillars, which feed on Ficus species and frequently cause extensive injury to these trees, earning the common name 'rubber tree caterpillar.' Adults have a wingspan of 35–40 mm with bluish-gray wings and are active year-round in southern Florida.
Odontofroggatia
Odontofroggatia is a genus of non-pollinating fig wasps in the family Epichrysomallidae. The genus is associated with a narrow range of host fig species, specifically Ficus microcarpa and Ficus prasinicarpa. Members develop within fig fruits as parasitoids or inquilines. The genus was established by Ishii in 1934.
Pegoscapus
Pegoscapus is a genus of pollinating fig wasps in the family Agaonidae, native to the Americas from Florida and Mexico to Argentina. The genus exhibits an obligate mutualism with fig trees of the genus Ficus, specifically pollinating species in section Americana of subgenus Urostigma. Females are winged and larger with longer antennae, while males are wingless with reduced eyes and shorter antennae. The genus is estimated to be over 20 million years old based on fossil evidence from Dominican amber.
Philotrypesis
Philotrypesis is a genus of parasitic wasps in the family Pteromalidae. These small chalcidoid wasps are primarily associated with fig trees (Ficus) as parasitoids of fig wasps. The genus has been recorded from multiple regions including Hawaii and Japan, with 266 observations documented on iNaturalist. Taxonomic placement has varied historically, with some sources formerly placing it in Agaonidae, though current consensus places it in Pteromalidae.
Pleistodontes
A genus of fig wasps (Agaonidae) native to Australia and New Guinea, with one species (P. claviger) from Java. Species in this genus are pollinators of Ficus section Malvanthera within subgenus Urostigma. The genus contains approximately 25 described species, with taxonomic revision work indicating some species boundaries remain under investigation.
Singhiella
ficus whitefly
Singhiella is a genus of whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) containing species that are significant pests of Ficus plants. The most economically important species, Singhiella simplex (the ficus whitefly), has become invasive across multiple continents, causing severe defoliation of ornamental Ficus hedges and trees. The genus is distinguished by puparial characteristics used in whitefly taxonomy, including color, shape, and wax placement.
Sycophaginae
Sycophaginae is a subfamily of chalcidoid wasps within the family Pteromalidae. Members of this subfamily are primarily associated with figs (Ficus species) and are commonly known as fig wasps. The group exhibits complex ecological relationships with their host plants, including both pollinating and non-pollinating species. Sycophaginae wasps are typically small, often measuring less than 5 mm in length.
Trioza brevigenae
Ficus leaf-rolling psyllid
Trioza brevigenae, known as the ficus leaf-rolling psyllid, is an invasive pest of Ficus microcarpa (Chinese banyan or Indian laurel fig) native to India. It was first detected in California in 2016, representing the first known occurrence outside its native range. The species causes characteristic leaf-roll galls on host foliage, with nymphs developing inside these protected structures. Its invasion pathway and full geographic distribution remain under investigation.