10 Original Wasp In Fly Out Fig Bags—YES pollination and NO Black Fig Fly

This listing is for ten Original Wasp In Fly Out fig bags. I made these bags for use on my own trees, but they're working well and I want to share them with my fellow Southern California growers before it's too late in the season to pollinate and save some figs from the Black Fig Fly (Silba adipata McAlpine). I am JT1923 on Ourfigs and you can check out my development process in this thread.

WIFO bags are a hybrid protection using a soft organza top attached to screen mesh at the bottom. This design allows fig wasps to pollinate developing figs while excluding the larger Black Fig Fly.

WIFO bags are useful for growers who:

• Live in an area with the fig wasp AND the Black Fig Fly
• Grow smyrna varietals
• Love the taste of caprified figs and are reluctant to give them up because of the fly

If you do not have the fig wasp in your location, save your money and just use regular organza or ag-fabric bags.

To date, California populations of S. adipata have been reported in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties (PDF). The California Department of Food & Agriculture confirmed the presence of the fly at my location last summer via a site visit and lab testing of affected figs. This year I have observed BFF on and around my plants beginning in late January. Because the fly can attack figlets as small as 10mm I began bagging as soon as they reached that size and so far have not lost a single fig.

How to apply to tiny 10mm figlets:

1. Open the drawstring end of the bag and run a finger inside to make sure the bag is not stuck to itself.
2. "Cuff" the top part of the organza so the drawstring is positioned at the very top of the bag. Make sure the drawstring ends are still accessible.
3. Carefully slip the edge of the bag around the stem of your figlet. For double figlets, it's ok to keep them both in one bag until they grow large enough to bag separately.
4. Pull the drawstrings snug around the stem. The mesh end should "puff" and the organza cuff will become a soft frill around the stem.
5. Sit back and enjoy knowing you're thwarting those %@&#ing flies.

WIFO bags come with a few caveats. While I believe the design works as intended, this is the first season and final results from several testers in BFF territory have not yet been received. Projected success hinges on applying the bags when figlets are no larger than 10mm; any bigger and they may already be harboring eggs or larvae. Testing has confirmed the screen mesh will not prevent larvae from escaping and dropping to the surface below.

Dimensions
Each bag measures approx. 4" x 6"

Shipping
In an effort to keep costs down I frequently reuse shipping materials. Don't be surprised if your WIFO bags are delivered in an Amazon bag or box.

UPDATE 6/5/2022: Users report observing the wasp sucessfully accessing WIFO-bagged figs!

UPDATE 6/16/2022: Additional use includes protecting individual caprifigs from infestation to preserve figs for potential wasp habitation.

UPDATE 7/18/2022: I successfully ripened Unk Pastiliere (a smyrna variety) inside the bags!