The first record and occurrence of the ornate cow tick Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794) in south-western Poland

The following report concerns the first record and occurrence of an ornate cow tick (Dermacentor reticulatus) in the Silesian province. One female and one male were collected from a dog in the veterinary clinic in Racibórz, while in the vicinity of Żywiec one female tick was found also on a dog. Ticks collected in Racibórz are most probably part of the local fauna, while the specimen from Żywiec may have come from the Warsaw area, the source of the host. These findings confirm changes of European distribution recorded lately for this species and the role of humans in this process. However, they need to be supported by more thorough research involving collection by flagging and/or other hosts such as wild animals.