This ant probably occurs in all 48 contiguous states and the southern tier of Canadian provinces, perhaps also well into Mexico in the mountains. Easier to find in forested regions, it has even been encountered remote from the nearest tree in the prairie of central Kansas. It is a specialized predator of geophilomorph centipedes, using both those long, formidably toothed mandibles and a sting nearly as long as the gaster and packing powerful venom to subdue these relatively large and squirmy prey animals.