Name: Suellen Cruz Period: 4th

Peppered Moth Game

Objective: Simulate changes in moth population due to pollution and predation, and observe how species can change
over time.

Go to: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/peppered-moths-game/play.html and read each section before you play the game,
answer the questions as you go.

Peppered Moth

1.Where do peppered moths live?

Peppered moths primarily live in wooded areas, including forests and woodlands, where they can find suitable
habitats for laying eggs and camouflage against tree bark.

2. How do the moth larvae survive predators?

Moth larvae survive predators by blending in with their surroundings, often resembling twigs or leaves. This camouflage
helps them avoid detection by predators such as birds.

3. What do the moths do during the winter?

During the winter, moths may hibernate or enter a state of dormancy to conserve energy and survive the cold
temperatures. Some species may seek sheltered locations like tree crevices or under leaf litter

4. What color is the "typica" version of the moths? The "typical" version of moths is typically light-colored, often gray or
speckled.

What color is the "carbonaria" version?

The "carbonaria" version is darker, often black or dark brown.

5. How do adult moths survive predation?

Adult moths survive predation through a combination of camouflage, flight agility, and behavioral adaptations such as
flying at night when predators are less active.

Natural Selection

6. What was the industrial revolution?

The industrial revolution was a period of significant technological, economic, and social change characterized by the
introduction of machinery for manufacturing and the growth of factories powered by coal and other fossil fuels.

7. What was causing the change in the color of the moths? The moths changed color primarily due to environmental
pollution caused by industrialization, which led to the darkening of tree bark due to soot and pollutants.

8. What is natural selection?

Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce
more offspring. Over time, this process leads to the accumulation of advantageous traits within a population.

9. Why would dark moths have an advantage? Dark moths would have an advantage in polluted environments because
their darker coloration provides better camouflage against the darkened tree bark, making them less visible to
predators.

Dr. Kettlewell

10. What is an entomologist?

An entomologist is a scientist who specializes in the study of insects, including their biology, behavior, ecology, and
taxonomy.

11. How do scientists test theories?

Scientists test theories through various methods, including observation, experimentation, data collection, analysis, and
peer review.

12. Dr. Kettlewelll predicted that clean forests would have more light-colored moths, and polluted forests would have
more dark-colored moths.

13. How did Kettlewell test his hypothesis?

Kettlewell tested his hypothesis by conducting field experiments, releasing marked moths into both clean and polluted
environments and observing their survival rates.

14. How did Kettlewell determine if moths lived longer than others?

Kettlewell determined the lifespan of moths by marking individuals and observing them over time to see how many
survived and reproduced.

Play the Game

15. Complete the data table for the light forest and the dark forest.

Percent Dark Moths Percent Light Moths

Light Forest 24 36

Dark Forest 19 16

Final Analysis

16. Explain how the color of the moths increases or decreases their chances of survival.
The color of moths can increase or decrease their chances of survival based on how well they blend in with their
environment. In environments with light-colored tree bark, light-colored moths have better camouflage and thus higher
survival rates. Conversely, in environments with dark-colored tree bark due to pollution, dark-colored moths have better
camouflage and higher survival rates.

17. Explain the concept of natural selection using your moths as an example.

Natural selection is the process by which organisms with advantageous traits that better suit their environment are
more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass on those traits to their offspring. In the case of peppered moths, natural
selection favored the color morph that provided better camouflage against the changing environment, leading to an
increase in the frequency of that trait within the population over time.

18. Predict what would happen if there were no predators in the forest. Would the moth colors have changed? Why or
why not?

Without predators in the forest, the selection pressure for camouflage would be reduced. As a result, the moths' colors
may not have changed significantly over time, as there would be no environmental pressure favoring one color morph
over another.

19. Efforts to reduce pollution began occurring later in the century. If pollution near factories was reduced, what would
happen to the color of the moths? Explain your answer.

If pollution near factories were reduced, the tree bark would become lighter in color over time as it becomes cleaner. As
a result, light-colored moths would have better camouflage against the lighter bark, leading to an increase in their
population compared to dark-colored moths.

20. Kettlewell's experiment is included in most biology texts as an example of evolution occurring. How do we know that
the moths evolved?

We know that moths evolved because we can observe changes in their population over time, driven by environmental
factors such as pollution and predation. Kettlewell's experiment provided direct evidence of natural selection in action,
demonstrating how changes in the environment can lead to changes in the characteristics of a population over relatively
short periods. Additionally, genetic studies have further supported the idea of evolution by showing changes in the
frequency of certain genes within moth populations.