Before industrialization it was observed that there were more white winged moths on trees than dark winged moths Why?

Options

A. White winged moth was due to recessive allele .
B. Dark winged moth appeared due to mutation in some white winged moths
C. Life span of dark winged moth was shorter than white winged
D. Predators spotted dark moths against a contrasting backgound and white winged moths were naturally selected.

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Observation of Moth Population**: Before industrialization, there was a notable difference in the population of white-winged moths compared to dark-winged moths on trees.

2. **Background Color**: The trees were covered with a thick growth of white lichen, creating a predominantly white background.

3. **Camouflage Advantage**: The white-winged moths blended in with the white background, making them less visible to predators. This natural camouflage provided them with a survival advantage.

4. **Predation of Dark-winged Moths**: In contrast, the dark-winged moths stood out against the white background. Their darker coloration made them easily detectable by predators.

5. **Natural Selection**: As a result of the predation, the dark-winged moths were more likely to be caught and killed, while the white-winged moths survived and reproduced. This led to a higher population of white-winged moths over time.

6. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the reason for the higher number of white-winged moths compared to dark-winged moths before industrialization is that predators spotted the dark moths against the contrasting white background, leading to natural selection favoring the white-winged moths.