The species tolerates both dry and wet habitats, but most specimens are encountered in dry deciduous forest (Eisenberg 1989). It has been found in habitats ranging from dry cactus scrub (Bonaire, 464 mm annual precipitation) to wet forest (Camp Patawa, French Guiana), but most commonly it is found in areas of deciduous to semi-deciduous forest (Tejedor 2011), and in gardens and plantations (Emmons and Feer 1997). The species feeds on insects, mostly Lepidoptera and Diptera (Tejedor 2011). It roosts in the dark recesses of humid caves, where they hang singly or in groups of well-separated individuals, sometimes in colonies of thousands. They may be restricted to regions with caves and karstic environments (which are absent in much of the Amazon basin). They fly with a fluttering flight low over the ground, and use the large tail membrane to catch insects. Completely cave dependent - and to a specific cave type (Davalos and Ochoa pers. comm).

This species is known from northern Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and French Guiana, and also in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Margarita, Curacao and Bonaire (Netherlands Antilles) (Simmons 2005, Tejedor 2011). Its upper elevation range was thought to be around 548 m (Eisenberg 1989) but there are records from 1,000 m.

Restricted entirely to cave habitats. Conservation of cave habitats and karstic regions is important for species. The species distribution includes well preserved areas, where it can be abundant in karstic areas or where caves occur. Its population is unlikely to be declining at a rate to qualify it for inclusion in any of the threat categories. This is one of the few bats which is completely (also morphologically) dependent on caves. Caves are also currently threatened by vampire control programs - which are non specific and kill all bats in caves. These are also fragile species and die easily.