The short, broad feet, the grooved covering of the sole of the foot, and the short, thick legs suggest climbing habits. The teeth are of the normal cuspidate insectivorous type. The upper premolars are well developed. These bats are remarkably agile, running freely on the ground and even running or climbing rapidly up sloping, smooth surfaces. Mystacina is found in forests, and roosts in hollow trees, caves, crevices, and burrows.
Emergence is relatively late in the evening.
Other observations suggest that some groups are considerably smaller. The investigated colony included about 100-150 newborn young on 16 December 1973. Apparently, M. tuberculata is monestrous, with mating occurring in autumn and there being some kind of delay of development, fertilization, or implantation. Limited observations of M. robusta suggest that it may be polyestrous, with births occurring from spring to autumn. M. tuberculata still is known to be present on North Island, South Island, Little Barrier Island off the north coast of North Island, and several small islands off of Stewart Island.