There is little information available on the natural history of this species. It is present in lowlands, and can be readily found in secondary and disturbed forests. Mota Lava’s lowlands are now a matrix of village gardens, and coconut and kava plantations. It is a small species of fruit bat that probably has a largely nectivorous diet and may thus benefit from plantings of coconuts and other flowering and fruiting species associated with village environs. Residents of Mota indicated the species roosts in small groups beneath the foliage of Pandanus trees along the steep coastlines (T. Lavery pers. comm). The same informants indicated flowers of Pandanus were the main food source.

This poorly-known species is restricted to the Banks Group of islands in northern Vanuatu. The original species description (Felten and Kock 1972) lists specimens as having been derived from Mota (holotype), Mota Lava (Saddle Islands) and Vanua Lava. However, this distribution needs close re-examination to confirm persistence on these islands and absence of confusion between the closely related names of these islands (i.e., Mota vs Mota Lava vs Vanua Lava). Surveys are also needed to identify whether it also exists on adjacent Ureparapara and Gaua. It is purportedly a lowland species.

This species is listed on Appendix II of CITES. It is not believed to be present in any protected areas. Further studies are needed into the distribution, ecology, and threats to this species.