New data on the occurrence of Dermacentor reticulatus, Dermacentor marginatus, and Ixodes frontalis (Ixodida: Ixodidae) in Germany

Most European tick research focuses on Ixodes ricinus, the most prevalent tick species. In this study, we report presence and abundance data for non-I. ricinus ixodid tick species that were collected as part of a large-scale field study conducted across 28 collection areas in Germany between 2018 and 2020. Ticks were collected monthly (February-November) from the vegetation by flagging approximately 100 m² at each of 93 sites, which covered five Coordination of Information on the Environment (CORINE) land cover classes: broad-leaved forest, coniferous forest, mixed forest, agricultural area, and urban area. Excluding I. ricinus, 718 ticks were collected: adult Dermacentor reticulatus (n = 633) and Dermacentor marginatus (n = 51), as well as Ixodes frontalis nymphs (n = 32) and adults (n = 2). The widest geographical range (18 collection areas) was observed for I. frontalis; however, only single individuals were collected. Dermacentor reticulatus was the most frequently collected species, found in nine collection areas, while D. marginatus was detected only in three southwestern areas. Two species, I. frontalis and D. reticulatus, were observed in all five CORINE land cover classes. These findings provide updated insights into the spatial and temporal dynamics of three understudied tick species in Central Europe and highlight the need for continued surveillance to better understand their role in pathogen transmission, particularly in the context of environmental and climatic changes.