Reply #14: This was most likely not a case of evolution at all:

[thereismore]

The original population probably contained a small fraction (say, less than 1%) of naturally occuring mutation conferring resistance to the parasite. While the non-resistant males died off, the small number of resistant ones survived. Now, because there was no competition from the "normal" (i.e., non-resistant) males, the resistant ones proliferated. Therefore, no evolution, just a population shift. The same thing by the way happened with the white and dark moths that are cited as an example of evolution. Because both white and dark moths existed before industrial pollution, proliferation of the dark ones was just a population shift, which is back to normal today (both dark and white moths exist in some ratio). Same thing with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They existed even before antibiotics were used (were found in bodies buried prior to Fleming's discovery). So all they did was they proliferated when antibiotics were used. Otherwise they are not as fit as the non-resistant bacteria, because if left alone in an environment free of antibiotics, the original non-resistant form gets the upper hand and proliferates again.


You must see that the butterflies are just that-butterflies, so there is no evolution of one species to another. Hate to pour water on your fire, but think about these things.