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Peppered Moth

Biston betularia

Not yet photographed by the community

Famous example of industrial melanism and natural selection.

Species Profile

Green List (common and widespread)

Lifespan: 2–4 weeks as an adult moth
Size & Weight: Wingspan 32–45 mm; 0.4–0.6 g
Habitat: Woodlands, parks, gardens, and urban areas with deciduous and coniferous trees, particularly birch.
UK Distribution: Widespread throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; absent from far northern regions. Resident year-round with peak activity June to August.
Diet: Adults do not feed; larvae feed exclusively on the leaves of trees, especially birch, but also alder, willow, and other deciduous species.
Predators: Birds such as thrushes and warblers; spiders; small mammals.
Mating Season: May to August, with peak activity in June and July
Breeding: Females lay 100–300 eggs singly or in small clusters on host plant leaves. Eggs hatch in 7–10 days. Larvae develop over 4–6 weeks through five instars; single generation per year, occasionally two in southern England.
Behaviour: Nocturnal and strongly attracted to artificial lights. Males are highly mobile and search for females using pheromone detection. Rests on tree bark during the day with wings folded tent-like over the body.

Did You Know?

•The Peppered Moth is famous for industrial melanism: during the Industrial Revolution, dark morphs became dominant in polluted areas due to predation pressure on pale forms against sooty bark.
•The pale and dark colour morphs are controlled by a single dominant gene; the dark form (carbonaria) was extremely rare before 1850 but comprised up to 98% of Manchester's population by the 1890s.
•Following Clean Air Act legislation in the 1970s, pale morphs have recovered in industrial regions, demonstrating rapid evolution in response to environmental change.
•Adult moths do not feed and live on stored energy reserves accumulated during their larval stage.
•The species' scientific name, betularia, refers to its association with birch trees (Betula species), though it uses many other host plants.

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