So it would probably be a good thing if the moths look similar to the trees that they perch on, right? Then they can be camouflaged from birds that want to eat them.īefore the Industrial Revolution, the light peppered moth was common, while the dark form was very rare. The light moths blended in with the light-colored trees. However, the Industrial Revolution changed the tree colors.Īfter the pollution from the Industrial Revolution started affecting trees, most of the collected peppered moths were of the dark form. Like many moths in forests, the peppered moth tends to rest (or "perch") on tree trunks during the day. They do most of their flying at night. It nearly replaced wood in many homes in Europe during this time. It was used for heating homes and cooking and it became the main energy source in factories.Ĭoal burning released large amounts of smoke and smog into the surrounding environment.This left a layer of black soot on the once lighter-colored trees. The pollution also killed the light speckled colored lichens that grew on the tree trunks. The tree bark was now exposed and dark without the lichens. How did this affect the peppered moth? The Pepper in Peppered Moth We went from a largely rural society to a city or urban one. One of the new fuel sources that was heavily used during this time period was coal. Small amounts of coal can produce large amounts of heat. In the 1800s, manufacturing processes changed. Moth collectors in England noted that most peppered moths collected in the early 1800’s were light gray peppered with bits of black. Many years later most of the moths collected were almost completely black. One form of the species, typica, is a pale lighter color that is peppered with black speckles. The other form, carbonaria, is a much darker color that is peppered with light speckles. This species has two different adult forms. Or the species could have altered behavior, or even change over time to adapt to the new surroundings. It could adapt to these changes in a number of ways. The individuals could move (to try to find trees that match its color). So, what would happen if the trees began changing, and the peppered moths were no longer able to blend in? This means its coloration should match with the trees on which it perches. Like many insects, the peppered moth can benefit from blending into its environment.
The caterpillar of the peppered moth can blend in on some trees, looking like a twig.
0 kommentar(er)
