It is usually found roosting in synanthropic settings but also uses caves and rock fissures (Goodman et al. 2005; Andrianaivoarivelo et al. 2006). A nursery colony with over 1,000 young bats was observed in Réserve Spéciale d’Ankarana (Goodman and Cardiff 2004). In eastern Madagascar it feeds mainly on coleopterans and hemipterans (Andrianaivoarivelo et al. 2006) and forages in open areas (Randrianandriananina et al. 2006). In the south-east it has been netted near water in gallery and spiny forest (Goodman 1999). It frequently shares synanthropic roosts with other molossid species (Andrianaivoarivelo et al. 2006).

This species is endemic to Madagascar (Peterson et al. 1995) and very widespread across the island with a known distribution extending from the coast up to the high plateau at 1,400 m in Anjozorobe (J. Ranivo pers. comm.).

As this species is more commonly found roosting in buildings than natural settings it is not found in many of the protected areas in Madagascar (Goodman et al. 2005). However, there is no need for any conservation measures at present as this species appears to be widely distributed and is locally abundant.