The species is known from Costa Rica south to Andean regions of Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru.

It typically occurs in mountainous regions; in Costa Rica collections are from 100 to 1200 m elevation.

Workers are large, conspicuous ants that may be found foraging on the ground or on low vegetation.

[2] In Central America, M. foreli is known from Costa Rica, where it is not common.

Workers can be found on the ground and low vegetation as diurnal or nocturnal foragers.