The species has been recorded in dry deciduous forests, dry dipterocarp forest, small woodland patches, floodplain and various agriculture lands such as paddy field, sugarcane field, orchard and mixed plantation (Sharma 1986, Kruskop 2013, Madhavan et al. 2014, Funakoshi et al. 2015, Hawkeswood and Sommung 2017). It is found roosting mainly in dried leaves of banana, dry grass and sugar cane, but occasionally in green leaves of banana and broadleaf trees, flower, half-built nest of Baya weaver bird on mesquite tree, and paper shelter for wrapping guava fruit (Sharma 1986, Molur et al. 2002, Funakoshi et al. 2015, Hawkeswood and Sommung 2017, Patel et al. 2017). In northern Thailand, Funakoshi et al. (2015) reported the roost sites are generally near irrigation water. This species mostly roosts at a height between 1-1.5 m from the ground. It frequently switches roost sites at short distances (<800 m) every to four days. It forms small family of three bats (one adult male, one adult female, and one young) from February to September, but remain singly and in pair in November and December. Paired animals primarily have high fidelity of partnership through years with shared home range but have no overlap with other individual, expect their young in a year. Individual home range is generally small, 6.1 ha for males and 5.6 ha for females in average, at short distance from day roosts (c. 350 m averagely). The bat mainly feeds on small web spiders (Funakoshi et al. 2015) most likely associated with its behaviour of fluttering flight near ground vegetation (Smith and Xie 2013) and short high frequency echolocation calls (Sripathy et al. 2006). They are apparently active during the day and are relatively sluggish when disturbed (Smith and Xie 2013).

This is a widespread species that has been recorded from southern, northern, and northeastern South Asia, southern China, mainland Southeast Asia and some major islands in insular Southeast Asia. In South Asia, the species is known from Bangladesh (Dhaka division) (Sarker and Sarker 2005, Srinivasulu and Srinivasulu 2005), India (Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal), Nepal (Central and Mid-western Nepal) and Sri Lanka (Central, Eastern, Sabargamuwa, Southern and Western provinces) (Molur et al. 2002, Patel et al. 2017). In China, it has been recorded from much of southeast China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou and Jiangxi and Hainan island) (Smith and Xie 2013). In Southeast Asia, it has been recorded in all countries in the mainland as well as the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Ambon, Halmahera and Ternate. Although it was previously reported from Kalimantan, Sabah and Sarawak (Houston et al. 2008), the occurrence of the species in Borneo cannot be confirmed since there is no collection record from that area. It is not listed in the latest mammal checklist for Borneo (Phillipps 2018). In South Asia, it has been recorded from sea level up to 1,500 m asl (Molur et al. 2002).

This species is protected in China (Smith and Xie 2013) and Thailand (Tuanjit Sritongchuay, pers. com.), but as least concern in India (Molur et al. 2002). There is no direct conservation assessment in the other countries within its distribution. In South Asia, it has been recorded from several protected areas in India (Borivili National Park in Maharashtra, Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh and Orang National Park in Assam), Nepal (Chitwan National Park) (Molur et al. 2002) and Sri Lanka (Ritigala Strict Nature Reserve and Wilpattu National Park). It is unprotected in India, however, trade out of the country is illegal. In Sri Lanka both hunting and trade are banned. In Southeast Asia, the species has never been reported from any protected area despite intensive survey efforts have been invested in some of which in the last decade. Action plans to evaluate the impact and cease the trades of the species in wildlife markets, especially online shops, are urgently needed. Research on population dynamic and survival in the use of alternate habitats by this species at both local and landscape scales is also suggested.