The family Megadermatidae is carnivorous, feeding on animals that includes vertebrate species, and this species commonly feeds on arthropod, mammalian, amphibian and reptilian prey. These include large insects and small mice, other bats, small birds, frogs, Pygopodidae (legless lizards), geckos and snakes. "Macroderma gigas" is formally referred to as a specialised carnivore, but they have been known to feed on insects if prey is scarce. Vertebrate prey is eaten much more frequently, and is usually consumed at the site of capture. Other species of microbats are taken in flight, these include species of sheathtails, bentwings or horseshoe bats and little cave eptesicus.