Changes in the microbiota of the large wax moth under diets of different types of plastics

The microbiota associated with the digestive tract of insects is involved in key processes for the survival of the host, such as obtaining nutrients, although the complexity of these communities and interactions is far from being understood. We want to understand the role of the microbiota in the degradation of plastics, by using the large wax moth (G. mellonella) as a potential candidate species for a search for biodegradable microbiota agents. We are comparing the gut microbiota of the wax moth under wax and plastic diets.