This small, parthenogenic species is arboreal, nocturnal, and inhabits vegetation in mangroves, coastal, lowland and hill dipterocarp rainforests, swamps, and modified habitats such as urban areas and rural gardens (Grismer 2011, Shang et al. 2009). Females usually produce two eggs, typically laid beneath bark, or in some other protected places with the appropriate thermal requirements; gravid females have been observed in November in Singapore (Grismer 2011). In Fiji it has been recorded from dry forest and in the Philippines it has been recorded from various coastal habitats including mangroves and beach forest, and has also been taken from coconut plantations. This, however, reflects a tendency for local workers to refer to animals found in original forest as Hemiphyllodactylus insularis and those elsewhere as H. typus, but it's not clear that this reflects a genuine ecological difference between the two species (A. Diesmos pers. comm. 2021). Morrison (2003) and McCoy (2006) note that this species shelters by day in the leaf axils of Pandanus, ferns, palms and under the bark of trees.

This species is broadly, if somewhat spottily distributed from Hawaii (Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai, Maui, Oahu) and French Polynesia (Marquesas, Society Islands, Handerson Island) in the central Pacific (Cook Islands) westward to the Pacific Rim islands, Fiji (Viti Levu and Vanua Levu) and Tonga (Samoa, ‘Eua, Tongatapu, Vava’u, Tonga-Ata), New Caledonia, Vanuatu, coastally through New Guinea, the Solomon Islands (Bouganville, Guadalcanal), Taiwan (where it is restricted to the southern lowlands - Shang et al. 2009, G. Shang pers. comm. 2018) and Japan (Ryuku Islands - Das 2010), the Philippines (where the distribution is unclear as reports do not distinguish between this species and Hemidactylus insularis, and the distribution shown here follows Zug 2010), Indonesia and Malaysia (Borneo - where it is also found in Brunei - Sumatra, Java, the Lesser Sundas, and the Mentawai Islands from Simeulue to Enggano - D.T. Iskandar pers. comm. 2017), mainland South East Asia (with records from Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam - Das 2010) and Sri Lanka, and India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Mascarene Islands. While the species was recently reported from Buton Island (Gillespie et al. 2005), records from the Sulawesi mainland are still lacking (Zug, 2010). According to Grismer (2011), it has also been found in Myanmar (which is now considered erroneous - L. Grismer and E. Quah pers. comm. 2017), Cambodia and the Indonesian islands of Simeulue, Bali and Sumbawa. In Peninsular Malaysia, it is known from Perak in Gunung Inas and Bukit Larut, Selangor in Kepong, Pahang in Takis Chini, in Pulau Sibu and Endau-Rompin, and Terengganu in Empangan Tembat (Grismer 2011). Its known distribution in this country will undoubtedly be greatly expanded with additional field work as it is cryptic and easily overlooked (Grismer 2011). In Thailand, there are records in Trat Province (Khlong Mao Nao), Ranong Province (Muang district), Trang Province (Khao Chong) and Yala Province (Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary) (Chan-ard et al. 2015). In Viet Nam it is known with certainty from Sa Pa in Lao Cai and Moc Chau in Son La (Nguyen et al. 2009). Records from northern Viet Nam (Bobrov and Semenov 2008, Nguyen et al. 2009, Geissler et al. 2011) and Laos require verification following the recognition of the new species H. zugi and H. kiziriani (Q.T. Nguyen pers. comm. 2017). It is a lowland species found between sea level and 1,500 m asl. All subpopulations east of Tonga are considered to be introduced, as are those from Mauritius and Rodrigues (Morrison 2003, McCoy 2006, Zug 2010).

This species is extremely widespread and adaptable, and no conservation measures are necessary. It is present in protected areas (G. Shang pers. comm. 2018).

McKeown, Sean. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians in the Hawaiian Islands. Diamond Head Publishing Company, 1996