The adult body weight ranges between 25.0 to 40.0 grams. This species lives in abandoned houses, in the lofts of old houses and inside the hollows and from jutting structures on the walls of wells. They are very sensitive to man’s interference and upon the slightest disturbance they flutter and escape and take shelter in the wells or buildings nearby; they only return when their original roosting site is vacated by the intruders. The lofts where this species roosts are often shared by palm civets. The specimens hang freely from the ceiling and other supporting structures and in this resting posture move the head frequently. On waving one’s fingers a foot away from this animal in captivity, it reacts by moving its head sideways and up and down. In this position it spreads out the wings at intervals. Often the specimens were seen suspended from the roof of houses in pairs in apposition, and this posture gives the impression that they are in-copulo. At times two or three specimens form a sort of hanging ‘SYZYGY’. They emerge out of their roosts at dusk one by one and fly low (close to ground level) and return to the roosts at about dawn with an added prize in the form of a frog, lizard, etc. These are eaten while in the roost. Caged specimens of this species were sometimes seen eating during the day time. While the prey is being eaten a characteristic sound is audible. This is an aggressive species and can inflict nasty bites.

These bats eat fish, frogs, grubs of beetle, prawn and such other food items as well. In captivity, the specimens eat pieces of beef, live frogs and fish and are sometimes cannibalistic.