Name __________________________ Period __________ Date ______________

Peppered Moth Lab

Introduction: In this lab you will model what could happen to a peppered moth population depending on its
environment and the moth’s appearance.

In England there lives a moth called the peppered moth. Some of the moths are light and some are dark. They
live on trees.

Light and Dark Peppered Moths

Birds in England will eat the moths if they are able to see the moths on the tree bark

The trees in England in the area in which the moths live have mostly light colored bark. However, pollution in
the mid-1800’s started to coat nearby trees with black soot. This made it easy for the dark moths to hide, but
made the white moths easier to spot. Then, later on in the century, better pollution control allowed the trees to
regain their white appearance which had the opposite effect for the moths.

Materials:

Large sheet of green butcher paper. 4 black strips of paper of equal size representing pollution covered trees. 4
white strips of paper representing light colored trees of equal size.

50 white paper hole punches and 50 black paper whole punches representing the moths.

1 paper cup to sprinkle the hole punches

Procedure:

Lay the green paper flat on a table or floor.

ROUND 1: Place 4 white strips representing trees with light bark equally spaced on the green paper.
RECORD in your data table for ROUND 1 the beginning population of moths (25 white, 25 black)

Fill a cup and sprinkle from about 2 feet above the paper 25 white and 25 black hole punches over the green
paper and paper strips as randomly as possible. You may wish to hand sprinkle the hole punches like salt and
pepper so they do not clump together and all fall in the same spot.

a.) Each hole punch “moth” that lands on the green paper lives and gets to be used again in the next round, place
them back in your cup.

b.) Each hole punch “moth” that lands on a paper strip “tree” the SAME color as the moth, the moth reproduces
so you must put that hole punch “moth” in your cup PLUS add one more hole punch of that same color to your
cup for the next round which represents the offspring.

c.) Each hole punch “moth” that lands on a paper strip “tree” the OPPOSITE color is EATEN by the birds and is
removed from the paper and is NOT placed back into your cup.

d.) RECORD the numbers of each moth for the beginning of the next round

NOTE: - IN THIS ROUND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE WHITE MOTH

POPULATION TO GO DOWN
ROUND 2: As time goes on, pollution in England increases, so Place 3 white strips representing trees with light
bark and 1 black strip representing a pollution covered tree equally spaced on the green paper.

You should have the number of white hole punch “moths” and black hole punch “moths” in your cup as shown
from the end of the previous round in your cup. (example: 35 white and 20 black) Make sure you have added
the correct amount of hole punch “months” for reproduction and did not put back into the cup any hole
punch “moths” that were eaten.

Sprinkle these hole punches from about 2 ft above the green paper and paper strips as randomly as possible.

Follow steps a,b,c,d from above

ROUND 3: As time goes on, pollution in England increases, so Place 2 white strips representing trees with light
bark and 2 black strips representing a pollution covered tree equally spaced on the green paper.

You should have the number of white hole punch “moths” and black hole punch “moths” in your cup as shown
from the end of the previous round in your cup. Make sure you have added the correct amount of hole punch
“moths” for reproduction and did not put back into the cup any hole punch “moths” that were eaten.

Sprinkle these hole punches from about 2 ft above the green paper and paper strips as randomly as possible.

Follow steps a,b,c,d from above

ROUND 4: As time goes on, pollution in England increases, so Place 1 white strip representing trees with light
bark and 3 black strips representing a pollution covered tree equally spaced on the green paper.

You should have the number of white hole punch “moths” and black hole punch “moths” in your cup as shown
from the end of the previous round in your cup. Make sure you have added the correct amount of hole punch
“moths” for reproduction and did not put back into the cup any hole punch “moths” that were eaten.

Sprinkle these hole punches from about 2 ft above the green paper and paper strips as randomly as possible.

Follow steps a,b,c,d from above

ROUND 5: As time goes on, pollution in England increases, place 4 black strips representing a pollution covered
tree equally spaced on the green paper.

You should have the number of white hole punch “moths” and black hole punch “moths” in your cup as shown
from the end of the previous round in your cup. Make sure you have added the correct amount of hole punch
“moths” for reproduction and did not put back into the cup any hole punch “moths” that were eaten.

Sprinkle these hole punches from about 2 ft above the green paper and paper strips as randomly as possible.

Follow steps a,b,c,d from above then STOP

NOTE: - IN THIS ROUND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE BLACK MOTH

POPULATION TO GO DOWN

Data table NUMBER OF LIGHT AND DARK MOTHS PER ROUND

Light Moths Dark Moths
Beginning Round 1
Beginning Round 2
Beginning Round 3
Beginning Round 4
Beginning Round 5

Questions:

1.) Describe the change in population of the moths over time.

2.) What is the reason for the moth population change?

3.) What adaptation helped one moth type to survive better than the other?

4.) If this these conditions continue, predict what would happen to the moth population.
5.) In England, better pollution controls were invented, and eventually the trees started to become white again.
Predict what would happen with your “moth” population if you did ROUND 6, 7, 8, and 9, each time taking away
a black strip and returning a white strip. (Round 6 = 3 black strips & 1 white; Round 7 = 2 black & 2 white;
Round 8 = 1 black & 3 white, Round 9 = All white)

Predicted moth numbers for round 6 (3 black strips & 1 white)

Light moths = _____________ Dark moths = _____________

Predicted moth numbers for round 7 (2 black & 2 white)

Light moths = _____________ Dark moths = _____________

Predicted moth numbers for round 8 (Round 8 = 1 black & 3 white)

Light moths = _____________ Dark moths = _____________

Predicted moth numbers for round 9 (All white)

Light moths = _____________ Dark moths = _____________

6.) Graph the populations of the light and dark moths for all of the rounds including your predicted rounds 6,7,8,
and 9. Remember to include a title, legend/key for your graph, and label the x and y axis with “Round” and
“Peppered Moth Population.”