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Biston betularia
This moth was the subject of several breakthrough studies that tracked industrial melanism, which is the appearance of darker phenotypes in urban areas where it is more polluted. This was as a result of evolution. See one of the studies in the references. Research Station, NMW.
Spotted on Jul 24, 2014
Submitted on Feb 17, 2015
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On #NationalMothWeek, each day we'll be bringing you an educational fact about moths, courtesy of National Moth Week team member and Project Noah ranger Jacob Gorneau.
Biston betularia, the Peppered Moth, is a moth in the family Geometridae which has been used as a model for population genetics and evolutionary study. This moth has both a white form, with black speckles, and a melanic form which is almost completely black. In the mid to late 1800s, at the peak of the industrial revolution, the melanic form became the most common form due to the intense air pollution covering the bark of trees in soot. Once cleaner industrial practices were adopted the white form ended up being the more common one once again.
National Moth Week is from July 21-29. Are you participating? You can still register a public or private event here: https://buff.ly/2LCh5ge, especially if your country or region isn't on the map yet!
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