Science Week- The Peppered Moth

Date: 16th Mar 2025 @ 11:11pm

This year, the theme for British Science Week is 'Change and Adapt'.  In Year 1, the children learned all about adaptation and camouflage through the story of the peppered moth. Peppered moths have lived in the UK for centuries and are usually white with black speckles across the wings, blending well with lichen-covered tree trunks. Some moths, however, such as black peppered moths have black wings, making them more visible to predators and keeping their numbers low. In the 19th century, pollution killed the lichen and darkened tree trunks with soot. Pale moths became easy targets for predators, while darker moths were now better camouflaged. As a result, black moths thrived, with 98% of peppered moths in Manchester turning black within 50 years. By the mid-20th century, air quality improved, lichen returned, and tree trunks lightened. This shift favoured pale moths once again, causing black moth numbers to decline. The children loved looking at images of the moths and other animals and insects. They tried hard to spot creatures hidden by natural camouflage. They then designed their own butterflies to test how well they blend into different habitats. We had some wonderful creations, with children even trying to hide their butterflies from the teachers! Excuse some of the fuzzy photos- the children have been using the iPads to take their own photographs!