<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/21/mosquitoes-found-iceland-first-time-climate-crisis-warms-country>
"Mosquitoes have been found in Iceland for the first time as global heating
makes the country more hospitable for insects.
The country was until this month one of the few places in the world that did
not have a mosquito population. The other is Antarctica.
Scientists have predicted for some time that mosquitoes could establish
themselves in Iceland as there are plentiful breeding habitats such as marshes
and ponds. Many species will be unable to survive the harsh climate, however.
But Iceland is warming, at four times the rate of the rest of the northern
hemisphere. Glaciers have been collapsing and fish from warmer, southern climes
such as mackerel have been found in the country’s waters.
As the planet warms, more species of mosquito have been found across the globe.
In the UK, eggs of the Egyptian mosquito (
Aedes aegypti) were found this
year, and the Asian tiger mosquito (
Aedes albopictus) has been discovered in
Kent. These are invasive species that can spread tropical diseases such as
dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus.
Matthías Alfreðsson, an entomologist at the Natural Science Institute of
Iceland, confirmed the findings there. 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 from wine ropes during wine
roping aimed at attracting moths.”
The species is cold-resistant and can survive Icelandic conditions by
sheltering through winter in basements and barns."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
