9. In the 1800’s the “ ”White with Black Speckled Peppered Moth” lived in Britain. The picture of the moth is shown below.
It was difficult for predators to see the moths when the moths perched on white tree trunks (Fig. 1). This was because the colour of the moth blended in with the tree trunks.

After the 1840’s, factories in Britain began to release large amounts of black smoke. This smoke covered the white trunks of trees making the trees black (Fig. 2). “

Table showing the population of moths before and after the 1840’s

Which statement gives the most likely cause for the decrease in moth population after 1840?