Due to the pollution during the Industrial Revolution in England , many of the lichens died out , and the trees that peppered moths rested on became blackened by soot , causing most of the light-colored moths , or typica , to die off from predation . However , because of widespread pollution during the Industrial Revolution in England , many of the lichens died out , and the trees that peppered moths rested on became blackened by soot , causing most of the light-coloured moths , or typica , to die off from predation .