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 light wings are peppered, so they call them peppered moths
2. What animals eat the peppered moth?
Flycatchers, Nuthatchers, and the European robin.
3. What is a lichen?
Small fungi on trees
4. What do the larvae of the moth eat?
Leaves of birch, willow, and oak trees
5. How do peppered moths spend the winter?
In a pupae (cocoons)
6. Moths that have more dark spots than the average moth are called what?
Carbonaria
Impact of Pollution
7. Where was the first black form of the moth found?
Near the centre of Manchester
8. What was the Industrial Revolution?
Factories were being built, and they ran by coal for fuel
9. What was causing the different colors in the moths?
The trees darkening and by the mutation in the DNA
10. What is natural selection?
An animal adapting to a certain environment
11. Who suggested that peppered moths were an example of natural selection?
Charles Darwin
12. What is industrial melanism?
Kettlewell's Experiments
13. What is an entomologist?
14. How do scientists test theories?
15. Write down ONE of Kettlewell's predictions.
16. Dark moths were found in what parts of the country?
17. How did Kettlewell directly study the moths?
18. Why did dark moths have a survival advantage?
19. When Kettlewell recaptured the marked moths, what did he find?
20. Where did Kettlewell publish his findings?
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.
Final Analysis
22. Explain how the color of the moths increases or decreases their chances of survival.
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 light wings are peppered, so they call them peppered moths
2. What animals eat the peppered moth?
Flycatchers, Nuthatchers, and the European robin.
3. What is a lichen?
Small fungi on trees
4. What do the larvae of the moth eat?
Leaves of birch, willow, and oak trees
5. How do peppered moths spend the winter?
In a pupae (cocoons)
6. Moths that have more dark spots than the average moth are called what?
Carbonaria
Impact of Pollution
7. Where was the first black form of the moth found?
Near the centre of Manchester
8. What was the Industrial Revolution?
Factories were being built, and they ran by coal for fuel
9. What was causing the different colors in the moths?
The trees darkening and by the mutation in the DNA
10. What is natural selection?
An animal adapting to a certain environment
11. Who suggested that peppered moths were an example of natural selection?
Charles Darwin
12. What is industrial melanism?
Kettlewell's Experiments
13. What is an entomologist?
14. How do scientists test theories?
15. Write down ONE of Kettlewell's predictions.
16. Dark moths were found in what parts of the country?
17. How did Kettlewell directly study the moths?
18. Why did dark moths have a survival advantage?
19. When Kettlewell recaptured the marked moths, what did he find?
20. Where did Kettlewell publish his findings?
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.
Final Analysis
22. Explain how the color of the moths increases or decreases their chances of survival.
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?