[1][2] It is native to many high latitude areas in the northern and southern hemispheres including Alaska, Canada, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, England, Scotland, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula, Russia, Patagonia, South Africa and Australia.

In contrast, the cycle took two years in the macaroni penguin in consequence of the rather different timetable of occupation of the colony for breeding and moulting in this species.

[4] A study in an Adelie penguin colony found that the tick had alternate periods of feeding and off-host aggregation under rocks.

Non-fed stages responded positively to guano and uric acid, excretory products of the penguins, suggesting that these act as a kairomone to help them locate their host.

However, in order for the bacterium to infect humans, another species of tick would have to be involved, Ixodes scapularis which is found on deer.