Distribution in Iran. Alborz, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Tehran (Farahani and Talebi 2012; Sedighi and Madjdzadeh 2015), Hormozgan (Ameri et al. 2014), Iran (no specific locality) (Aubert 1966; Davatchi and Shojai 1969; Khanjani 2004 as Meteorus mesopotamicus; Fallahzadeh and Saghaei 2010), Razavi Khorasan (Darsouei and Karimi 2015).
Distribution outside Iran. One of the most common braconid species in the Palaearctic region (Papp 2003 a, 2011–2012). Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, Greenland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, Ukraine (Yu et al. 2012), Belgium (Wesmael 1835 as Perilitus leviventris; Szépligeti 1904; Yu et al. 2012), Canada (Pivnick 1993; van Achterberg 2006; Yu et al. 2012; Sharanowski et al. 2014), Corsica (Stigenberg 2013), Croatia, Montenegro (Papp 2010; Yu et al. 2012), Czech Republic (Lozan et al. 2010; Yu et al. 2012), Denmark (van Achterberg 2006; Yu et al. 2012), France, Faeroe Islands, Russia, Spain (Yu et al. 2012; Stigenberg 2013; and Shaw 2013), Germany, Hungary, Sweden (Szépligeti 1904), Greece (Papp 2003 b; Yu et al. 2012), Iceland, USA (van Achterberg 2006), Iraq (Fischer 1957 as Meteorus mesopotamicus; Yu et al. 2012), Israel (Papp 1988; Papp 2011–2012; Yu et al. 2012), Mexico (González- Hernández 2004), Mongolia (Papp 2009 b; Yu et al. 2012), Norway (Yu et al. 2012; Stigenberg and Hansen 2013), Russia (Tobias 1971; Yu et al. 2012; Stigenberg 2013), Serbia (Žikić et al. 2000; Papp 2010; Yu et al. 2012), Tunisia (Papp 1979 as Meteorus rubens var. leviventris; Yu et al. 2012), Turkey (Atlihan et al. 2003; Beyarslan et al. 2004, 2006, 2013; Yilmaz et al. 2010; Yu et al. 2012; Koldaş et al. 2013; Stigenberg 2013; Stigenberg and Shaw 2013), UK (Marshall 1887; Marshall 1887 as Meteorus leviventris; Szépligeti 1904; Broad and Shaw 2009; Yu et al. 2012; Stigenberg 2013; Stigenberg and Shaw 2013).
Host records. Meteorus rubens has been recorded as a parasitoid of several families of Lepidoptera, but members of the Noctuidae appear to be the primary hosts (Yu et al. 2012). In Iran it has been reported as a gregarious endoparasitoid of Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (Farahani and Talebi 2012; Darsouei and Karimi 2015), Darsouei and Karimi 2015). It is also reported as a parasitoid of Spodoptera exigua Hübner and Agrotis segetum Denis & Schiffermüller (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (Tobias 1971; Khanjani 2004), Yponomeuta malinellus (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) (Tobias 1971). It is also bred from Agrotis tritici Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (Marshall 1885). It is also reared from Rhyacia quadrangula (Zetterstedt) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (van Achterberg 2006).