These genetically modified Superworms (Zophobas detritiphagus) were created by Zoe Tilos a former GenenTech geneticist. They are able to eat all types of organic material including rotten food, wood, bones and more, they are also able to eat and safely metabolize a variety of inorganic material including Styrofoam, plastic, rubber, rust and even a wide variety of chemicals and toxins.
Zophobas detritiphagus were created to eat vast amounts of garbage. They live exclusively in captivity, mostly in huge Sanitariums but are often sold as a type of exotic pet, popular for their unusual eating habits and minimal care requirements.
Biology
GM Superworms are more than double the size of their genetic ancestors.
Zophobas detritiphagus is neotenic, staying in the larval form their entire lives.
Ecology
Z. detritiphagus, as a Genetically Modified Organism, GM Superworms live only in captivity mostly in Sanitariums where up to several million worms may live in a single chamber. These worms prefer dark, warm and humid environments, and are unable to survive in the cold. The larva enjoy burrowing in loose sediment such as soil, leaf-litter, sawdust or dry oats, but the tons of trash they devour and the bodies of millions of other Superworms fulfills this purpose.
A single worm can eat over three times their body weight in refuse every day,
like regular Superworms, the GM Superworm is a palatable to many species and is sometimes eaten by small creatures that manage their way inside of Sanitariums such as Anoles, Geckos, Rats and Birds, but if an ingested Superworm had recently eaten a large quantity of plastics or chemicals this may injure or even kill its predator.
GM Superworms are specialized trash feeders, giving them an advantage over other insects deployed in Waste Disposal systems such as non-modiefied Superworms (Zophobas morio) and Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor), which seem to be going extinct within the Sanitation Chambers.