Darwin's Moth

Tuesday night, trapping night!

I'm finding it hard to get to sleep imagining my moth trap filling up with moths.  This peppered moth was my favourite find this morning, not only for its beauty but also for its story. 

The peppered moth evolved into a dark form to camouflage itself in the sooty covered trees of the industrial revolution. And, only 50 years from this first discovery, it pretty much completely outnumbered the lighter form. 

In modern times, with cleaner air, this one (blipped) is again the more common form as birds spot first the darker versions resting on the lighter trees.  With a number of improved studies, it is now hailed as one of the best known examples of evolution by natural selection and nicknamed Darwin's moth.

Ahhh, clean Yorkshire air!


Wild Wednesday hosted by Cailleach, thank you!