Netelia ephippiata

Forests and Woodlands, Grasslands and Prairies, Urban and Suburban Areas, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas, Rotting and Decaying Matter, On and Within Other Organisms (Parasitic and Symbiotic Relationships)

Forests and Woodlands, Grasslands and Prairies, Urban and Suburban Areas, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas, Savannas, Mangroves and Coastal Wetlands

Sugar or honey solutions can attract netelia ephippiata due to their need for carbohydrates. Additionally, host insects, often caterpillars or pupae of other insect species, can be used to lure netelia ephippiata females who seek to lay their eggs.

During its larval stage, netelia ephippiata is most likely to be found inside the bodies of host caterpillars, as they are endoparasitoids. The larvae are typically located within terrestrial habitats where their host caterpillars are present. To find them, one must search for infested caterpillars on various plants. As for the adults, they are frequently observed in habitats with abundant vegetation, such as fields, meadows, and forest edges, where they can be encountered on or near flowers, which they visit for nectar. When searching for adult netelia ephippiata, it is best to look in these areas during warmer months when flowers are in bloom and insect activity is high.

The most suitable time to find netelia ephippiata adults is usually on warm, sunny days, particularly late mornings through afternoons when they are most active. Immunature stages may be present year-round depending on climate and availability of hosts.

Dry and warm conditions are generally best for finding netelia ephippiata, as these creatures are less active during cold or rainy weather.