Notes

write a paragraph describing how natural selection changed the butterfly population in this particular activity. explain whether your prediction you made was correct or not and include data from your data tables to help support your claim. describe why some butterflies were more fit or less fit for your particular environment. if the environment changed how could this possibly change the outcome.

i hypothesized that the green butterfly would be the best color in order to survive, but it was actually the white butterfly. however, the green butterfly was the only other color besides white that survived through all 6 rounds. In the beginning, we started out with 4 butterflies for each color, but as the hunting season progressed, some colors started dying out due to the way they stood out against the dark environment. Blue was the least effective because it was the population that died out first, dropping from 4 butterflies to 0 within one round. The green butterfly's population kept fluctuating from 4 to 6 but it survived the hunt. The population of the white butterfly kept rising until it reached 16 and then it ended with 12. Because of the dark green background, bright colors such as red, yellow, and blue stood out, which made it easier for the hunter to see them. Green was similar to the background, yet it didn't entirely match the shade of the jungle leaves. White was the most effective because the dots were able to be placed on obscure white spots such as on animals. The remaining butterflies reproduced, thereby creating a larger population of butterflies that were better suited for the environment. If the environment changed, then the outcome might change because what might be a beneficial color in the jungle environment may be a color that stands out in a new environment. Thus, the butterfly population according to color might change.