The dark peppered moth flourished after the Industrial Revolution primarily due to the darkening of the tree bark.
During the Industrial Revolution, soot and pollution from factories darkened the tree trunks in urban areas, which provided better camouflage for the dark-colored (melanic) variant of the peppered moth. This adaptation allowed them to avoid predation by birds, leading to an increase in their population. In contrast, the lighter-colored moths became more visible against the sooty backgrounds and were thus more likely to be eaten.