Where to find questing Ixodes frontalis ticks? Under bamboo bushes!

several species of vertebrate hosts, vectors and pathogens. While most studies in Europe are focused on Ixodesricinus, other Ixodes species may also be involved in the transmission or maintenance of pathogens. This is thecase of Ixodes frontalis, a poorly known species associated with different bird species such as blackbirds, thrushesand robins, with a wide distribution covering most European countries.In a previous study, high densities of questing I. frontalis larvae were found during autumn-winter at a siteclose to Nantes (western France) where a long-term survey focused on I. ricinus was conducted. These I. frontaliswere mostly observed under bamboo bushes. In the present study, we investigated the presence of I. frontalisunder bamboo bushes at various locations. With that aim in mind, a systematic search for questing I. frontalis wasundertaken by the flagging method in public urban parks and private gardens presenting bamboo bushes (32sites). This survey was carried out during autumn-winter to maximize the probability of finding the mostabundant stage, i.e. larvae. We searched for I. frontalis first in the area of Nantes (10 sites), then in other regionsof France (21 sites) and at one site in northern Italy. A single visit to each site revealed the presence of I. frontalisat 29 out of 32 sites: larvae were always present, nymphs were frequent (59 % of the positive sites), while adultswere found at only 14 % of the sites. Questing stages of this understudied species are thus easy to find, bydragging or flagging under bamboo bushes in autumn or winter. We make the assumption that bamboo offers afavourable place for birds to roost overnight outside their breeding period (i.e. spring), sheltered from bothpredators and wind. This would explain higher densities of I. frontalis under bamboo, relative to other biotopes.As I. frontalis is known to harbour zoonotic pathogens, the consequences of this discovery on the epidemiologyof tick-borne diseases are discussed.