Mamestra configurata

Mamestra configurata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is commonly known as the bertha armyworm and is found primarily in western North America and Mexico. Adult moths are grey-black with a silvery-whitish reniform spot and fringe on each forewing. M. configurata overwinters as pupae in the soil with adults emerging from June until early August. The larvae are highly polyphagous and feed on a wide variety of broadleaved plants and some grasses . It is a pest of several important crops, including flax (Linum usitatissimum), sweet clover (Melilotus spp.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and canola (Brassica napus and B. rapa). It is a periodic, but serious pest of canola with outbreaks occurring every 7-10 years and spanning the entire Canadian prairies. The larvae initially feed on canola leaves, but later may feed on pods before dropping to the ground in late August to pupate. Control of the pest in crops is generally achieved through the use of insecticides, although naturally-occurring biological agents (bacteria, viruses, parasitoids) are believed to be responsible for curtailing outbreak populations. The status and distribution of M. configurata and other pests is monitored annually be the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Research on M. configurata has focused on host plant selection, population genetics, genomics, biological control agents, pheromone biology, and digestive physiology/biochemistry. The M. configurata genome is approximately 590 Mb and is the largest noctuid genome reported to date.