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 Racib6rz, while in the vicinity of Zywiec one female tick was found also on a dog. Ticks collected in Racib6rz are most probably part of the local fauna, while the specimen from Zywiec 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.