Peppered Moth Simulation
Life Cycle of the Peppered Moth
1. Why are these moths called "peppered moths?"
They are called peppered moths because they have small dark spots on their wings.
2. What animals eat the peppered moth?
Flycatchers, Nuthatches, and the European robin
3. What is a lichen?
Small fungi
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 cocoons that they make
6. Moths that have more dark spots than the average moth are called what?
Carbonaria
Impact of Pollution
7. Where was the virst black form of the moth found?
Manchester
8. What was the Industrial Revolution?
A time period where factories were built
9. What was causing the different colors in the moths?
It was genetic
10. What is natural selection?
Explains how new species evolve
11. Who suggested that peppered moths were an example of natural selection?
J.W. Tutt
12. What is industrial melanism?
All living things respond to natural selection
Kettlewell's Experiments
13. What is an entomologist?
A scientist who studies insects
14. How do scientists test theories?
Making predictions and then testing them
15. Write down ONE of Kettlewell's predictions.
Clean forests will have the most light peppered moths
16. Dark moths were found in what parts of the country?
Industrialized cities
17. How did Kettlewell directly study the moths?
He put light and dark moths on trees
18. Why did dark moths have a survival advantage?
They were harder to see
19. When Kettlewell recaptured the marked moths, what did he find?
If the color of the moth matched its environment, the better it will survive
20. Where did Kettlewell publish his findings?
An article in 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.
Light: 53% Dark: 57%
Final Analysis
22. Explain how the color of the moths increases or decreases their chances of survival.
If their color is the same as their environment their chance of survival increases because the predator can't see them and if their color is different from their environment it is opposite.
23. Explain the concept of "natural selection" using your moths as an example.
Over time the moths started getting a darker color because of their genes.
24. What would happen if there were no predators in the forest? Would the colors of the moths change over time? Defend your answer?
If there weren't any predators the moths would survive longer and their color wouldn't change because there is no need for them to hide from anything.
Peppered Moth Simulation
1. Why are these moths called "peppered moths?"
They are called peppered moths because they have small dark spots on their wings.
2. What animals eat the peppered moth?
Flycatchers, Nuthatches, and the European robin
3. What is a lichen?
Small fungi
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 cocoons that they make
6. Moths that have more dark spots than the average moth are called what?
Carbonaria
Impact of Pollution
7. Where was the virst black form of the moth found?
Manchester
8. What was the Industrial Revolution?
A time period where factories were built
9. What was causing the different colors in the moths?
It was genetic
10. What is natural selection?
Explains how new species evolve
11. Who suggested that peppered moths were an example of natural selection?
J.W. Tutt
12. What is industrial melanism?
All living things respond to natural selection
Kettlewell's Experiments
13. What is an entomologist?
A scientist who studies insects
14. How do scientists test theories?
Making predictions and then testing them
15. Write down ONE of Kettlewell's predictions.
Clean forests will have the most light peppered moths
16. Dark moths were found in what parts of the country?
Industrialized cities
17. How did Kettlewell directly study the moths?
He put light and dark moths on trees
18. Why did dark moths have a survival advantage?
They were harder to see
19. When Kettlewell recaptured the marked moths, what did he find?
If the color of the moth matched its environment, the better it will survive
20. Where did Kettlewell publish his findings?
An article in 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.
Light: 53% Dark: 57%
Final Analysis
22. Explain how the color of the moths increases or decreases their chances of survival.
If their color is the same as their environment their chance of survival increases because the predator can't see them and if their color is different from their environment it is opposite.
23. Explain the concept of "natural selection" using your moths as an example.
Over time the moths started getting a darker color because of their genes.
24. What would happen if there were no predators in the forest? Would the colors of the moths change over time? Defend your answer?
If there weren't any predators the moths would survive longer and their color wouldn't change because there is no need for them to hide from anything.
Peppered Moth Simulation