NPSpecies

The species is widely distributed in the New World from New Jersey to Florida, west to Wisconsin and Texas, and south throughout Central America to Venezuela and into Cuba in the West Indies. (Oliver Flint, 1/25/10)

This species was for a long time known as Mantispa viridis, which has recently been synonimized with minuta. The larvae have a type of hypermetamorphosis in which he first instar is very active and actively seeks out a spider egg sacs which it enters and begins feeding on the eggs. In the final 2 instars it becomes fat and is barely able to move. The larvae use the egg sacs of a variety of spiders: they are reported in 25 species belonging to 23 genera and 14 families. They may have 3 or more generations per year, depending on latitude, with the larval or pupal stage overwintering in the egg sac. (Oliver Flint, 1/25/10)