The Mistery of The Peppered Moth

Peppered moth color shift is still a mistery.

(Mirror Daily, United States) – Many people know that the peppered moth suffered some changes during the 19^th – century industrialization in England. The moth went from light-colored to almost dark-colored, a change called “industrial melanism.”

By being dark, these moths were able to camouflage better on pollution-darkened tree trunks and had more chances to escape predatory birds. Light-colored moths became common again in the mid-20^th century after the passing of air quality legislation.

Biologists found in the 1980s that peppered moths do not usually rest on tree trunks but high up in trees where they could be hardly seen. This fact revealed that the photos used in textbooks had all been staged, many featuring dead moths pinned to the trunks.

Furthermore, this temporary shift of color observed at peppered moths proves that Darwinian evolution has no argument here, making it irrelevant. A group of scientists from England is trying to explain why some peppered moths turn black sometimes.

The secret lies in a ‘jumping gene,’ that was found in 105 of the 110 dark-colored peppered moths that were studied by the researchers. Still, the gene was absent from 283 light-colored moths. These findings will play a significant role in the further development and understanding of the peppered moth’s industrial melanism.

There is another possible argument regarding the fact that because peppered moths are nocturnal, they spend their days dozing on walls or tree trunks. In addition to this, the newly discovered change provided them with a better ability to hide from predatory birds in the industrial England environment.

Another important aspect is that this change that occurred in their color brings no evidence that evolution would have any relevance. Therefore, the theory of evolution is not linked with peppered moths color shift.

Many scientists who do not support the theory of evolution explained that other factors helped moths survive during England’s industrial period such as variations inside the same species and color adaptability also observed at chameleons and octopuses.

Plus, even evolutionary biologists admitted that Darwin’s theories have no relevance in explaining how light-colored peppered moths turned dark-colored. It is also questionable the fact that this color change was due to camouflage or bird predation because moths do not normally rest on tree trunks.

Image Source:Wikipedia

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John Birks

John holds a diploma in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. He covers the technology, social media, green business, eco-travel, politics, arts culture.