Waxworms: Plastic Eaters
These caterpillars have a surprising talent – they can digest polyethylene plastic, potentially helping recycle habitat materials. Each worm processes 1-2mg of plastic daily while growing into protein-rich food (40% protein). They require warm conditions (28-30°C) and basic feed like bran when not consuming plastics. Their unique gut enzymes could potentially be engineered for breaking down perchlorates in Martian soil through targeted bioengineering.