Download Peppered Moth Lab

Name ________________________ Date______ Pd_____
Peppered Moth Lab
Objective for the Lab:
Describe the importance of coloration in avoiding predation.
Relate environmental change to changes in organisms.
Explain how natural selection causes populations to change.
Materials:
• Sheet of Newspaper, and black paper
• Tweezers
• Stopwatch
• 30 newspaper circles, 30 black circles, 30 white circles
What you will be doing in the lab?
In this lab, you will simulate how predators locate prey in different
environments. One person will be the bird that will attempt to eat as many
circles “moths” as they can in a certain amount of time.
Procedure:
 On the newspaper, have two people (not the bird) spread 30 newspaper
circles, 30 black circles and 30 white circles over the surface while the bird is
not looking.
 The “bird” will then use tweezers to pick up as many of the circles as they
can in 20 seconds.
 The number that are left of each color are counted and recorded in the
chart.
 This trial will be repeated with a black paper.
 Record all your data in the table.
 The number left after each trial are doubled to represent the next
generation.
Questions to Answer Before Starting the Lab
Who will be the ”bird” in your lab? ___________________________________
Who will be incharge of the stopwatch during the lab? ___________________
What do the circles represent in the lab?
What are the three kinds of Peppered Moths present in this lab? (colors)
1.
__________________________
2.
__________________________
3.
__________________________
Population Starting on NEWSPAPER
STARTING POPULATION
Generation
Newspaper
White
Paper
Black
Paper
FINAL POPULATION
Newspaper
White
Paper
Black
Paper
1
2
3
4
Double the
final
numbers
to get your
starting
population
for the
next
generation
5
Population Starting on BLACK PAPER
STARTING POPULATION
Generation
Newspaper
White
Paper
Black
Paper
FINAL POPULATION
Newspaper
White
Paper
1
2
3
Black
Paper
Double the
final
numbers
to get your
starting
population
for the
next
generation
4
5
Summary Questions
1.
Describe how the populations of moths changed in each generation for all three moth
colors. (black, peppered, and white)
2. What moth coloration is the best adaptation for surviving in the newspaper and then the
black background?
3.
Explain how this simulation model/lab modeled natural selection?
4. In the space below draw the head of your bird that is eating these moths. Be sure to take
your time drawing the beak this bird would have. In addition, add color to show the color
the bird would most likely be.