Table 1.

Details of the four geographic locations from which ticks were collected.

Region	Area	Latitude, longitude	Altitude (m)	Estimated yearly mean max. temp. (°C)	Vegetation type	Main large tick hosts present
Northeast Scotland	Aberdeenshire	56°54′N, −2°31′E	300	9.9	Calluna-dominated heath	Red deer Cervus elaphus
North Wales	Denbighshire	53°5′N, −3°15′E	230	12.4	Bracken-dominated rough pasture	Sheep Ovis aries
South England	Hampshire	50°51′N, −1°38′E	40	13.8	Mixed deciduous woodland: Quercus, Fagus, Pinus	Roe deer Capreolus capreolus, fallow deer Dama dama
Central France	Auvergne	45°47′N, 03°27′E	380	16.0	Mixed deciduous woodland: Quercus, Fagus, Acer	Roe deer Capreolus capreolus