Table 3 Tick hosts and ecology in Belgium (details in Additional file 2 )

I. ricinus

Canis lupus familiaris, Felis silvestris catus, Erinaceus europaeus, Bos taurus, Homo sapiens, Capreolus capreolus, Carduelis chloris, Cervus elaphus, Parus major, Cyanistes caeruleus, Anthus pratensis, Anthus trivialis, Apodemus sylvaticus, Clethrionomys glareolus, Erithacus rubecula, Hippolais icterina, Sturnus vulgaris, Talpea europaea, Turdus ericetorum, Phylloscopus erolius, Turdus pilaris, Turdus merula, Phylloscopus inornatus, Turdus iliacus, Sitta europea, Ficedula hypoleuca, Fringilla coelebs, Lacerta vivipara, Bubo bubo

Plant species: Fagus sylvatica, Carpinus betulus(hornbeam), Betula pendula (birch), Quercus robur (oak), Quercus petraea (oak), Castanea sativa, Anemone nemorosa, Convallaria majalis, Prunus padus, Pteridium aquilinum, Athyrium filix-femina, Calamagrostis epigejos, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Dryopteris filix-mas, Sorbus aucuparia, Cytisus scoparius, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Juncus effusus, Molinia caerulea, Persicaria hydropiper, Urtica dioica, Acer pseudoplatanus, Convallaria majalis, Maianthemum bifolium, Carpinus sp.., Corylus avellana, Cerasus sp, Sambucus nigra,Crataegus monogyna, Vaccinium myrtillus / Pinus, Hedera helix, Rubus fructicosus, Quercus robur & Carpinus sp., Molinia caerulea

Soils: loam or silt with limestone, clay and limestone or schists, leaf litter, schist in Famenne, limestone from Givet, sandstone, poor acid sandy soils, siliceous rock, nettles, impermeable clay soils

Habitat: grazed pasture, forest ecotone, mixed acidophilous to acidophilous oak stands, birch stand with eagle fern, grassy path, garden, urban parcs, forest, dense thicket of beech, forest secondary pine poor acid sandy soils

D. reticulatus

Capreolus capreolus, Cervus elaphus, Homo sapiens, Canis lupus familiaris

Plant species: grasses, hawthorn, blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), brambles blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), birch (Betula pendula), mixture of grasses, hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), woodland (mainly Picea abies), ferns (Pteridium aquilinum), jennets (Genista scorpius), oak (Quercus robur)

Habitat: Fallow land, marshland, pasture used for grazing, woodland open

I. hexagonus

Felis silvestris catus, Canis lupus familiaris, Ericaneus europeus, Cervus elaphus, mustela putorius

Rabbit burrow, in herbis, in grassy nest, in house, burrow of Meles meles, endolithe nest of Coloeus monedula, pasture with edges or forest, impermeable clay soils, cave, burrow of fox

I. canisuga

Polecat: Mustela putorius

Riparian nest

I. trianguliceps

Rodents, Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus, Apodemus sylvaticus, Clethrionomys glareolus

Burrow of rodents

I. acuminatus

Rodents: Apodemus sylvaticus

I. frontalis

Birds: Parus major, Turdus merula, Sylvia atricapilla, Cyanistes caeruleus, Sturnus vulgaris, Parus montanus, Turdus viscivoru

It is sometimes found in understorey vegetation, experimental nest box

I. arboricola

Birds: Parus major, Cyanistes caeruleus, Sitta europea, Corvus monedula

Occurs in particular in bird nests inside cavities (like tree-holes for example), nest, Delichon urbica nest, experimental nest box

I. lividus

Birds: Riparia riparia

Riparia riparia (nest)

R. sanguineus

Canis lupus familiaris

house

A. reflexus

Columba livia

flat, house, dovecot

A.. vespertilionis

Bats: Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Eptesicus serotinus, rhinocephalus hipposideros

I. vespertilionis

Bats: Rhinolophus hipposideros, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Barbastelle, Myotis myotis

Cave wall and on stalagmites

H.aegyptium

Tortoise: Testudo graeca, Testudo mauritanica