Biston betularia

Doug Yanega dyanega at pop.ucr.edu
Fri Nov 19 14:50:06 EST 1999


>our Museum is planning to build a display where to show the effect of
>mimicry on Biston betularia selection by birds. We found in our
>entomological collections
>quite a lot of white morphs but a single dark one. Does anybody know where
>we could purchase, for a reasonable price, about 10-20 specimens of dark B.
>betularia ?

You should be aware that some recent publications have challenged whether
there is any *evidence* to support the claim of selection by birds on these
moths.

see http://165.123.33.33/yr1999/may/opin_990524.html

It's hard to be certain whether this is entirely a legitimate criticism, or
just someone trying to stir up controversy by science-bashing, but there is
clearly *some* truth to it (i.e., no one ever has observed birds picking
the moths off of trees).

Peace,


Doug Yanega       Dept. of Entomology         Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California - Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
phone: (909) 787-4315 (standard disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
                http://insects.ucr.edu/staff/yanega.html
  "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
        is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82



More information about the Leps-l mailing list