Nutrition:
Plants and small animals (insects).
Habitat:
Ephippiger ephippiger occurs in vertically well structured, xerothermous habitats such as fallow vineyards, dry, shrub-rich, steppe-like grasslands, bright white oak woodlands(Quercus pubescens), edges etc. The insects are oriented vertically and are often found on bushes.
Life cycle:
The adults are found from July to October. The eggs overwinter in moss and earth, according to literature several times.
Endangerment: threatened with extinction
Endangerment factors:
Ephippiger ephippiger occurs from E-Austria and S-Czech Republic to N-Greece and Ukraine. The western taxon diurnus is today considered a distinct species. Subspecies status would be appropriate, too.