This species can be found in wet, evergreen forest and tall secondary growth. It may have strong habitat preference (Rodriguez-Herrera pers. comm.). It roosts in groups of four to eight individuals in tents made from small to medium sized Heliconia spp. or other understory plants. Horizontal leaves are chewed on either side of the midrib, causing the sides to collapse and hang vertically. Old Heliconia leaves assume the same form, but appear withered and dead, whereas tents in active use are made from succulent, green leaves. Tents are about two metres above the ground, and some tents are used only as night feeding roosts. Fruit pulp and seeds of small, understory figs were found under a night roost. This bat is seldom caught in mist nets, except when nets are set near occupied tents. Roosting groups can be closely approached and observed. Males and females share tents until young are born (in April in Costa Rica), then males leave. Females appear to suckle each others young on occasion (Timm 1982, Reid 1997). This species has a generation length of six years (Pacifici et al. 2013).

This species is known from Honduras to western Panama (Simmons 2005). It occurs from the Caribbean lowlands to 700 m asl (Reid 1997).

This species is found in protected areas.