Mosquitoes discovered in Iceland for the first time as climate crisis heats the country
Mosquitoes have been discovered in Iceland for the first time, as global warming makes the country more hospitable to the insects.
The country was until this month one of the few places in the world without a mosquito population. The other is Antarctica.
Scientists have predicted for some time that mosquitoes could become established in Iceland, as there are many breeding habitats such as marshes and ponds. However, many species will not be able to survive the harsh climate.
Studies have shown that the Arctic region is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, and Iceland experienced record heat this year. Glaciers collapsed and fish from warmer climates to the south, such as mackerel, were found in the country’s waters.
As the planet warms, more and more species of mosquitoes have been discovered across the world. In the UK, eggs of the Egyptian mosquito (Aedes aegypti) were discovered this year and the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) was discovered in Kent. They are invasive species that can spread tropical diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and the Zika virus.
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Matthías Alfreðsson, an entomologist at the Icelandic Institute of Natural Sciences, confirmed these findings. He identified the insects himself after they were sent to him by a citizen scientist.
He said: “Three specimens of Culiseta annulata were found in Kiðafell, Kjós, two females and one male. They were all collected on wine lines during wine stringing to attract moths.”
The species is cold hardy and can survive Icelandic conditions by sheltering over winter in basements and barns.
Björn Hjaltason found the mosquitoes and wrote about them in the Insects in Iceland Facebook group. “On October 16 at dusk, I saw a strange fly on a ribbon of red wine,” Hjaltason said, referring to the trap he uses to attract the insects. “I immediately suspected what was happening and quickly retrieved the fly. It was a female.”
He caught two more and sent them to the scientific institute where they were identified.
