Tick Diversity and Abundance in Protected Natural Areas in Sicily, Southern Italy: A Baseline Ecological Study

Ticks are vectors of pathogens affecting wildlife, livestock, and humans. Knowledge of their abundance, species composition, and ecological drivers is essential for an understanding of tick-borne disease ecology. In this study, four natural sites in Sicily (southern Italy) were selected, and 39 sampling events from April 2024 to August 2025 yielded 1200 ticks: 407 larvae, 474 nymphs, and 319 adults. Five genera were identified (Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Rhipicephalus, Ixodes, and Hyalomma); Rhipicephalus bursa was the most abundant species, followed by Haemaphysalis punctata. Most ticks were collected in spring–summer, except at one site where abundance peaked in autumn–winter. A significant association was found between site and season (p < 0.0001), but tick abundance per sampling event did not differ among sites (p = 0.431) or seasons (p = 0.769). No significant correlations emerged between tick abundance and environmental variants. However, significant associations were detected between site and sex (p < 0.0001), site and developmental stage (p < 0.0001), and species and developmental stage (p < 0.0001). Sites exclusively hosting wild boar showed higher species richness. These findings underscore the ecological complexity of tick populations in Mediterranean protected areas and provide baseline data useful for integrated tick surveillance and wildlife health management.