A butterfly collector is studying a species of butterfly that has expanded its range into a new area over the last thirty years. The butterflies in the new area feed on a species of flower that has a deeper throat than the flowers exploited by the butterfly species in its original range. The average length of the proboscis that is used to suck nectar from flowers is also greater in butterflies that inhabit the new area. The butterfly collector makes a very valid hypothesis saying that the butterflies have adapted and evolved to their surroundings by having longer proboscis.
Evolution plays a key role in how animals survive, change and evolve according to their surroundings. It is no surprise that if the flowers grew longer, the butterflies would have to adapt their own body in order to reach the nectar. Once the butterflies adapted this trait to live, it was soon passed on to their offspring until all butterflies had longer proboscises which they needed to have in order to survive and live. Also since it was a new area where these flowers were, it is no surprise that the butterflies had to adapt to a new flower.
Animals and humans adapt to their surroundings to make life easier to live. Another reason for why the butterflies had a longer proboscis could be because over time the butterflies evolved to have different organs in their bodies to be able to fight off different kind of prey and over time more and more butterflies adapted this trait. Also, over time the butterflies with this trait could use it to collect nectar from these different types of flowers that other butterflies couldn’t which made them the stronger butterflies and the other type slowly died off, only leaving butterflies with bigger proboscises alive.
