peppered moth

British  

noun

1. a European geometrid moth, Biston betularia, occurring in a pale grey speckled form in rural areas and a black form in industrial regions See also melanism

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Example Sentences

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peppered moth

One of the exhibition's central stories focuses on the peppered moth, which adapted during the industrial revolution by developing darker colouring to blend in with soot-covered buildings.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026

A classic example often taught in high school biology classes is that of industrial melanism in the peppered moth, a British species tha looks, well, "peppered," with black dots on a mostly white background.

From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2025

Commonly used in biology textbooks, the peppered moth is a classic example of evolutionary change in action.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Probably the best-known example of urban evolution is the English peppered moth whose coloration darkened in the 19th century in response to coal pollution.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 25, 2022

This latest addition to the peppered moth tale, he says, “is going to be in the textbooks for decades to come.”

From Science Magazine ● Jun. 1, 2016