The main distribution area of Ixodes canisuga is in central and western Europe. This parasitic species most commonly infests foxes, which is why it is also called the fox tick, but it can also infest other carnivores such as dogs and martens, as well as certain bird species (Petney, Pfäffle & Skuballa 2012). During the mating season, a female tick lays an average of 600 eggs, which hatch into larvae, then nymphs, and later develop into adult ticks. At each stage of development, a host is required for the blood-feeding process (Smith 1972). A heavy tick infestation can weaken the host, and these parasites can also transmit diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) or Lyme disease (Petney, Pfäffle & Skuballa 2012).

Human pathogenicity: There are no reports of humans being infested with the fox tick Ixodes canisuga (Estrada-Peña & Jongejan 1999).