Every time a fig is born there is a wasp massacre
Wednesday, January 28, 2015 - 11:20
in Biology & Nature
"Don't put all your eggs in one basket" is a common refrain. But usually it is not followed by the words "because your neighbours may kill you". However, this is precisely the scenario faced by some female Brazilian fig wasps – and a recent report of their "mortal combat" provides an intriguing, if chilling, example of how natural selection shapes animal behaviour.