Question

A natural color mutation occurs in a species of red beetles, causing some of them to be green in color. These bugs exist in a grassland environment, and many species of birds eat them as food. What will most likely happen to the population of the bugs in the future?

Answer 1

The population of beetle will increasingly become green, with subsequent generations, until it becomes the dominant phenotype. This is because the green beetles will be able to camouflage with their environment and avoid being preyed on by the birds as compared to the black beetles. Therefore, the green beetle will have a high chance of reaching the reproductive stage and passing its genes to the next generation as compared to the black beetle.

Answer 2

The population of beetle would mostly consist of green beetles.

Step-by-step explanation:

Green colored beetles would have survival advantage in grassland as they can blend themselves within the green colored background of grasses. This would protect them from their predators. On the other hand, the red colored beetles would be easily located by predators and would be killed. So, in time, the beetle population would mostly consist of green beetles owing to their survival advantage in grassland environment.