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Simple Summary: This study investigates the biodegradation of polyethylene (PE) by Galleria mellonella larvae, exploring the impact of co-diet supplementation. Polyethylene, a prevalent plastic, poses significant environmental pollution due to its resistance to natural degradation. This research evaluates the larvae's efficiency in consuming PE of various densities with and without co-diets like beeswax and wheat germ + honey. The findings indicate that the larvae consumed more PE when the density was lower, with 1 mm thickness showing the highest consumption and minimal weight loss when beeswax was added. The larvae demonstrated higher biodegradation rates within 24 h compared to within 48 and 72 h. The co-diet supplementation, particularly with beeswax, enhanced PE consumption, aligning with the larvae's natural diet. This research underscores the potential of using G. mellonella larvae for the environmentally friendly biodegradation of PE, suggesting further exploration of the larvae's digestive mechanisms to develop sustainable solutions for plastic pollution. Pollution coming from plastic polymers, particularly polyethylene (PE), poses a serious threat to both humans and animals. The biodegradation of plastics facilitated by insects is a crucial and eco-friendly approach that can be employed to combat this global concern. Recently, the larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella (L.) have been recognized as avid 'plastivores'. The current study was aimed at evaluating the feeding efficiency of G. mellonella larvae on PEs of various densities with a co-diet supplementation of wheat germ + honey and beeswax. The results reveal that maximum PE consumption (9.98 ± 1.25 mg) was recorded in the case of 1.0 mm thick PE after a 24 h interval; however, the same scenario also achieved the greatest reduction in larval weight (27.79 ± 2.02 mg). A significant reduction in PE mass (5.87 ± 1.44 mg) was also observed in 1.0 mm PE when fed beeswax; however, the larvae experienced minimal weight loss (9.59 ± 3.81 mg). The larvae exhibited a higher PE consumption in 1.0 mm PE, indicating that the lower the density of PE, the greater the consumed area. Moreover, the biodegradation levels were notably higher within the 24 h interval. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the density of PEs and the supplementation of the co-diet have an impact on PE biodegradation. Additionally, the utilization of G. mellonella for the biodegradation of PE proves effective when combined with beeswax, resulting in minimal weight loss of the larvae. Our findings offer initial insights into how Galleria mellonella larvae biodegrade polyethylene (PE) of four different densities, along with co-diet supplementation. This approach helps us evaluate how varying densities affect degradation rates and provides a better understanding of the larvae's capabilities. Additionally, our observations at three specific time intervals (24, 48, and 72 h) allow us to identify the time required for achieving degradation rates. Through examining these time points, our method offers valuable insights into the initial phases of plastic consumption and biodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of various attractants, including phagostimulants alone or combined with other chemicals, in attracting both male and female Bactrocera zonata in laboratory and field experiments. Different mixtures of natural fruit extracts and synthetic attractants were tested to find the most effective combination for trapping B. zonata. The results indicated that a specific combination (phagostimulant-AdMixture-4) was particularly effective, showing strong attraction capabilities in both laboratory and field settings. These findings were significant and suggested a potential new method for managing fruit fly populations, which are a major cause of fruit damage and economic loss in different fruit orchards. The implementation of such attractant systems could reduce the need for chemical pesticides, offering an eco-friendly and sustainable solution to pest control in different fruit production systems. This advancement holds promise not only for increasing the yield and quality of fruit but also for supporting safer and more sustainable agricultural practices. Laboratory and field assays of three sets of experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of different phagostimulants alone and in combination with other phagostimulant lure sources, such as ammonium acetate, DAP, and acetic acid, on the attractancy of both sexes of B. zonata. In the first experiment, the laboratory olfactometer study revealed that out of eleven phagostimulants, banana, mulberry, mango, guava, molasses, and protein hydrolysate exhibited moderate attractancy (15.2–60.2%) to B. zonata. Unexpectedly, banana and protein hydrolysate were demonstrated to be highly attractive phagostimulants for starved female B. zonata (53.6% and 60.2%, respectively). In the field study, none of the tested phagostimulants exhibited high attractancy; however, banana, mulberry, protein hydrolysate, guava, mango, and molasses demonstrated moderate attractancy (5.6–35.6%) to B. zonata. In the second experiment, out of five phagostimulant-mixtures, phagostimulant-mixture-4 proved highly attractive (40.5–68.6% and 45.5–51.2%), followed by phagostimulant-mixture-3, which proved to be moderately attractive (17.0–22.5% and 28.4–36.1%) to B. zonata in olfactometer and field studies, respectively. In the third experiment, out of five phagostimulant-AdMixtures, phagostimulant-AdMixture-4 demonstrated strong attractiveness in the olfactometer (41.6–68.7%) and field studies (52.7–58.7%) for B. zonata, while the rest of the AdMixtures demonstrated moderate to no attractiveness for B. zonata. So, phagostimulant-AdMixture-4 with GF-120 could be used in the development of a phagostimulant bait station which attracts the maximum B. zonata population and ultimately provides pest-free fruits to the farmers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]