fruit drop on hardy black fig

[gardenpaws_VA]

I've got a hardy fig, apparently a black one, which sets fruit but drops just about the entire crop. First I thought it was stink bugs, then I thought it might be insufficient moisture (since that tree is on the east side of the house) so I gave it some extra TLC during our recent dry spell, but now the stink bugs (or some other sucking insect) seem to be at it again. Anybody know a good way of protecting the fruit, short of bagging them all? And is it likely to be stink bugs causing fruit shrinkage and little drops of gum atop punctures, or am I complaining about the wrong critter?

The brown fig just around the house corner but near a downspout has never had any such problems - there, it's just a race between me and the catbirds!

Any help would be appreciated.

[beeman]

Originally Posted by gardenpaws_VA

And is it likely to be stink bugs causing fruit shrinkage and little drops of gum atop punctures, or am I complaining about the wrong critter?

I would think you have some sort of sawfly which lays an egg in the blossom, it hatches into a maggot which eats, drops to the ground, pupapes (sp?) then the sequence starts again. I have a problem with Plum sawflies.
Cut open the fruit and have a look see.
If I'm right then you need beneficial nematodes, the only passive method of killing them. Picking up the dropped fruit will help, stops the bugs from crawling out.