It is found in Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being a vulnerable species.

[3] The shining guest ant has a wide distribution in Northern Europe and Asia.

Its range extends from Spain and North Italy to Scandinavia and eastern Siberia.

There is no nuptial flight for this species, reproductives attracting each other on the surface by the release of pheromones.