The Peppered moth comes in a light and dark variety.  Many years ago, before the Industrial Revolution, the light forms of the moth were camouflaged against the light background of the trees, and so were protected against predatory birds.  They were therefore, more common than the darker variety.  The darker ones were rare because they would stand out more clearly against the trees, and so were seen and eaten.  But, once the Industrial Revolution was well under way, pollution from factories began to darken the trees.  This reversed the fortunes of the lighter variety.  They were the ones that stood out against the now darker trees.  So, they were seen and eaten, while the darker moths were more camouflaged now.  Consequently, they became more common, while the lighter ones became rare.  However, when pollution was cleared up later on, the trees began to become lighter again.  This, of course, reversed the trend.  Again, the lighter ones were more camouflaged and began to increase in numbers.  These shifts in populations were well documented.  Birds were filmed eating these moths off of the trees.  If Darwin had been alive during these discoveries, he would have seen the vindication of his theory!

Does this story give us a good example of evolution in action?  Does it vindicate Darwin’s theory?  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  If true, all it shows is how natural selection can work, but it shows no evolution happening at all.  The Peppered Moths are still Peppered Moths.  Even if this went on for many millions of years, there is still no way that the moth can become more complex and change into another type of creature.

But, the story doesn’t end there.  It was discovered that Peppered Moths don’t even rest on trees during the day!  Scientists still don’t know where they rest (it is suspected now that they rest in the top leaves of trees).  So, what about the photographs of birds eating them off the trees?  Well, it seems that the darker side of human nature was at work again here.  The photographs were faked!  The moths used in the pictures were ones that were bred in a laboratory, and then placed on the trees by the very people doing the photography!  Some were even so languid that they had to be heated up on warm car hoods so they would “perform” correctly.  In some cases, dead moths were glued to the trees so that the birds could be filmed eating them!

Well, well….now there’s good science for you!  Remember this the next time you want to prove something to someone.  It’s a great scientific method: If you can’t find evidence to support your theory, just create your own evidence!

Thankfully, even many evolutionists are throwing out this whole story.  They realize that it just doesn’t prove anything they had hoped it would, and that the “evidence” is false.  Unfortunately, many millions of students around the world don’t know this.  They still are taught that the Peppered Moth story is good evidence for evolution. □

Back