Plastic-eating insect.
Did you know some insects can help fight plastic pollution? It’s true! Scientists have found a tiny hero—a worm-like insect called the Mealworm larvae—that can eat polystyrene!
Polystyrene, also called styrofoam, is a kind of plastic. It’s used to make food containers, packaging, and more. But it’s hard to break down, and recycling is difficult and expensive. It can even cause more pollution.
The scientists discovered that the Kenyan lesser mealworm larvae can eat polystyrene! These larvae have special bacteria in their stomachs that help them break down the plastic.
The study.
In the experiment, the scientists gave the mealworms three different meals: only plastic, only bran (a kind of food), or a mix of plastic and bran. They found that the larvae that ate both plastic and bran ate the plastic faster than the ones that ate only plastic.
This shows that they need a balanced diet to break down plastic better.
Gut bacteria analysed.
The scientists also looked at the bacteria in the mealworms' stomachs. They found that the larvae that ate plastic had more bacteria that helped break down the plastic.
These bacteria are important because they produce special chemicals that can break apart the plastic.
What’s next?
Scientists are still studying the Kenyan lesser mealworm larvae to learn more. But they are not the only insects that can eat plastic. Other insects, like yellow mealworms and superworms, can also eat plastic.
These insects have special bacteria in their stomachs that can also break down polystyrene. This discovery could help scientists find ways to use these bacteria to fight plastic pollution worldwide.
