Peppered Moth Simulation
Data and Analysis
Read the background information and answer the questions as you go.
Life Cycle of the Peppered Moth
1. Why are these moths called "peppered moths?"
Their wings are "peppered" with small dark spots
2. What animals eat the peppered moth?
Flycatchers, nuthatches, and the European robin
3. What is a lichen?
Small fungi that cover the bark of a tree
4. What do the larvae of the moth eat?
Leaves of birch, willow, and oak trees
5. How do peppered moths spend the winter?
They change into cocoons for the winter
6. Moths that have more dark spots than the average moth are called what?
Insularia
Impact of Pollution
7. Where was the first black form of the moth found?
Manchester
8. What was the Industrial Revolution?
A period of time where the making of goods by machinery replaced the making of goods by hand
9. What was causing the different colors in the moths?
It is genetic, its passed down from generation to generation
10. What is natural selection?
All types of living things have small differences between the individuals in the species
11. Who suggested that peppered moths were an example of natural selection?
J.W. Tutt
12. What is industrial melanism?
Species of moths darken over time in polluted forests
Kettlewell's Experiments
13. What is an entomologist?
A scientist who studies insects
14. How do scientists test theories?
making predictions based on the theory
15. Write down ONE of Kettlewell's predictions.
Heavily polluted forests will have mostly dark peppered moths
16. Dark moths were found in what parts of the country?
near industrial cities producing pollution
17. How did Kettlewell directly study the moths?
Placed them on tree trunks to compare light and dark moths
18. Why did dark moths have a survival advantage?
they blend into the tree trunks
19. When Kettlewell recaptured the marked moths, what did he find?
Dark moths doubled the amount of light moths
20. Where did Kettlewell publish his findings?
Scientific American
Birdseye View
21. Open the simulation and play the role of the bird in both the dark and the light forest. Try to behave as a bird would behave, choosing the moths that are the most obvious. At the end of each simulation, record the percent of moths captured in the table below.
56% light
44% dark
light forest
Final Analysis
22. Explain how the color of the moths increases or decreases their chances of survival.
The dark moths blended into the surroundings, letting them survive.
The light moths were all getting eaten by prey
23. Explain the concept of "natural selection" using your moths as an example.
24. What would happen if there were no predators in the forest? Would the colors of the moths change over time? Defend your answer?
Read the background information and answer the questions as you go.
Life Cycle of the Peppered Moth
1. Why are these moths called "peppered moths?"
Their wings are "peppered" with small dark spots
2. What animals eat the peppered moth?
Flycatchers, nuthatches, and the European robin
3. What is a lichen?
Small fungi that cover the bark of a tree
4. What do the larvae of the moth eat?
Leaves of birch, willow, and oak trees
5. How do peppered moths spend the winter?
They change into cocoons for the winter
6. Moths that have more dark spots than the average moth are called what?
Insularia
Impact of Pollution
7. Where was the first black form of the moth found?
Manchester
8. What was the Industrial Revolution?
A period of time where the making of goods by machinery replaced the making of goods by hand
9. What was causing the different colors in the moths?
It is genetic, its passed down from generation to generation
10. What is natural selection?
All types of living things have small differences between the individuals in the species
11. Who suggested that peppered moths were an example of natural selection?
J.W. Tutt
12. What is industrial melanism?
Species of moths darken over time in polluted forests
Kettlewell's Experiments
13. What is an entomologist?
A scientist who studies insects
14. How do scientists test theories?
making predictions based on the theory
15. Write down ONE of Kettlewell's predictions.
Heavily polluted forests will have mostly dark peppered moths
16. Dark moths were found in what parts of the country?
near industrial cities producing pollution
17. How did Kettlewell directly study the moths?
Placed them on tree trunks to compare light and dark moths
18. Why did dark moths have a survival advantage?
they blend into the tree trunks
19. When Kettlewell recaptured the marked moths, what did he find?
Dark moths doubled the amount of light moths
20. Where did Kettlewell publish his findings?
Scientific American
Birdseye View
21. Open the simulation and play the role of the bird in both the dark and the light forest. Try to behave as a bird would behave, choosing the moths that are the most obvious. At the end of each simulation, record the percent of moths captured in the table below.
56% light
44% dark
light forest
Final Analysis
22. Explain how the color of the moths increases or decreases their chances of survival.
The dark moths blended into the surroundings, letting them survive.
The light moths were all getting eaten by prey
23. Explain the concept of "natural selection" using your moths as an example.
24. What would happen if there were no predators in the forest? Would the colors of the moths change over time? Defend your answer?