Question

A population of red beetles lives in green bushes in a garden. Once during the process of breeding, a green beetle is produced.

1. State whether the change in colour of beetle is a process of evolution or not. 
2. Can the new colour of green beetle be passed on to its next generations?
3. What will be the advantage (if any) of the green colour to the beetle?
4. State whether the production of green colour involved a change in genetic material or not.

Answer 1

1. The change in the colour of the beetle is not a process of evolution. It is a variation (mutation) that has appeared in a single beetle.
2. Yes. If the green colour is due to a change in the genetic material (mutation), it can be passed on to the next generations.
3. The green colour provides camouflage in the green bushes, making the beetle less visible to predators. This increases its chances of survival and reproduction.
4. Yes. The production of the green colour involved a change in the genetic material (mutation), which caused the new trait.