The Peppered Moth Study

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NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON'T!

• The Peppered Moth Study
• An Example of Natural Selection!
• Created by C. Rhein

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Teachers Page
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TEACHERS PAGE

• MAP standard The learner will be able to
  understand that variation in a species increases
  the chance of survival in the face of a greatly
  changing environment.
• This program should be viewed by the teacher
  before showing to the students.
• It should be used in conjunction with student
  science journals.

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In your Science Journal, write similarities and
differences between these two organisms!
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MOTHS!

• Both have the Scientific Name
• Biston betularia
• Both are the same moth, commonly called peppered
  moths. There is a story behind these two
  different color variations. Click to find out
  what happened!

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• During the early 1800s in Birmingham, England
  there were dark and cream colored moths.
  However, almost all peppered moths were cream
  colored because the tree trunks were light
  colored.

Can you find the moth on the tree trunk?
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Would it be an advantage or disadvantage for the
moth to be light?
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Industrial Revolution
Something was happening in the cities of England
at this time, What could that have been?

• A greater number of factories were being created,
  which meant more pollution!
• In the Science Journal, WRITE
• What do you think was happening to the peppered
  moths as a result of industrialism?

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WHATS HAPPENING!

• Around 1850, black- colored peppered moths
  started to become more common than cream, usually
  in heavily industrialized areas.

Why did the frequency of black moths increase
with the growing industries?
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Darwins Theory of evolution by natural selection
suggests a hypothesis.
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White tree trunks were blackened by heavy
pollution from factories.
Which Moth is better adapted to its
environment? Explain why?
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• Perhaps dark moths sitting on soot-darkened bark
  escaped being eaten by birds because it was too
  hard for the birds to see the dark moths against
  the dark background.

• Light-colored moths would have stood out against
  a dark background and would have been easy prey
  for hungry birds. Therefore, more dark moths
  survived.

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This is an example of Natural Selection!
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• Natural Selection- is a gradual change in a
  species in response to the demands of its
  environment.
• In the SCIENCE JOURNAL, write how the peppered
  moth during the 1800s was an example of natural
  selection in action!

WHAT IS NATURAL SELECTION?
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