These
moths are better known as the ‘peppered moth’. While the moth has a wide
distribution, including parts of Asia, Europe and North America, it was the
European population, more specifically, those in England, that provided
demonstrated evidence of natural selection. Prior to the Industrial Revolution,
the population in England was dominated by a phenotype of light-coloured wings
for camouflage against the light coloured trees and lichens in its environment.
The pollution resulting from the Industrial Revolution resulted in the death of
most lichen and trees being covered by a layer of dark soot. The light-coloured
individuals within the moth population were then easier to spot by predators.
The darker-coloured moths flourished as they were more camouflaged. These moths
survived and reproduced, passing their trait to subsequent generations, and
resulting in dark-coloured moths becoming dominant in the population.
