Mosquitoes have been found in Iceland for the first time, as global heating makes the country more hospitable to the insects. Three specimens of the species Culiseta annulata were discovered in Kiðafell, Kjós, by a citizen scientist, marking the end of Iceland's status as one of the few mosquito-free places on Earth, alongside Antarctica.
The find was confirmed by entomologist Matthías Alfreðsson of the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, who identified the insects after they were sent to him. The species is cold-resistant and can survive Icelandic winters by sheltering in basements and barns. Scientists had long predicted that mosquitoes could establish themselves in Iceland due to abundant breeding habitats such as marshes and ponds.
The Arctic region is warming at four times the global average, and Iceland has experienced record heat this year, with glaciers collapsing and warmer-water fish like mackerel appearing in its waters. As the planet warms, more mosquito species are spreading globally. In the UK, eggs of the Egyptian mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) have been found, both capable of transmitting tropical diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus.
The discovery in Iceland raises concerns that invasive mosquitoes could establish a foothold closer to the UK, potentially increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. While the three specimens found are not known to carry tropical diseases, their presence signals a changing climate that could allow more dangerous species to survive.
The mosquitoes were collected by Björn Hjaltason, who noticed a strange fly on a red wine ribbon used as an insect trap. He captured two more and posted about them on the Facebook group Insects in Iceland before sending them to the institute for identification.
