Where have ticks already been discovered? - briefly
Ticks have been recorded on all continents except Antarctica, encompassing North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania.
Where have ticks already been discovered? - in detail
Ticks have been recorded on every inhabited continent, occupying a wide range of climatic zones and ecosystems. Their presence is documented in temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions, extending from arctic tundra margins to equatorial rainforests.
- North America: United States (eastern seaboard, Midwest, Pacific Northwest), Canada (southern provinces), Mexico (highland and coastal areas).
- South America: Brazil (Atlantic forest, Amazon basin), Argentina (Patagonia and Pampas), Colombia (Andean foothills).
- Europe: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Russia (European part).
- Africa: South Africa (KwaZulu‑Natal, Western Cape), Kenya (highland savannas), Nigeria (southern rainforest belt), Egypt (Nile Delta).
- Asia: China (northeastern provinces, Yunnan), Japan (Honshu, Hokkaido), India (Himalayan foothills, Deccan plateau), Saudi Arabia (mountainous regions), Russia (Siberian forest zones).
- Oceania: Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania), New Zealand (North and South Islands).
Specific habitats where ticks have been collected include deciduous and coniferous forests, grasslands, shrublands, agricultural fields, and urban green spaces such as parks and recreational trails. Ground‑level leaf litter, low vegetation, and animal burrows serve as microhabitats that support questing behavior. Records from high‑altitude zones demonstrate tolerance up to 3 000 m above sea level, while coastal marshes host species adapted to saline environments.
Surveillance data from the past two decades show an expansion of tick ranges into previously unsuitable areas, correlating with rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns. New detections in northern latitudes of Scandinavia and higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains illustrate this trend. Continuous monitoring and systematic sampling remain essential for mapping current distributions and anticipating future shifts.