Iceland until now, along with Antarctica, had been one of the few places on Earth without mosquitoes, thanks to its cold climate and lack of stagnant water where the insects typically breed.
Mosquitoes have been found for the first time in Iceland, a country which was previously known for its mosquito-free status. The discovery came after an unusually warm spring, which saw temperatures breaking several past records.
Hjaltason found mosquitoes during observation session
Insect enthusiast Bjorn Hjaltason made the finding during an observation session, where he was using wine-soaked ropes to attract moths. After several nights, he encountered two female mosquitoes and one male, which were later confirmed to be Culiseta annulataโa species capable of surviving colder winters.
Iceland until now, along with Antarctica, had been one of the few places on Earth without mosquitoes, thanks to its cold climate and lack of stagnant water where the insects typically breed.
But due to recent temperature spikes, including the hottest day ever recorded in May, have raised concerns about the impact of climate change on the delicate ecosystems of the island.
These mosquitoes found in glacial valley in Reykjavik
These mosquitoes were found in Kjรณs, a glacial valley to the South West of the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik.
Hjaltason shared the news of his discovery on a Facebook page for local wildlife alongside pictures of the insects and described it “a strange fly on a red wine ribbon”, according to Icelandic media.
He has also sent the insects to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History to be identified, where entomologist Matthรญas Alfreรฐsson confirmed his suspicions.
The mosquito species are generally common across parts of Europe and North Africa but it it isn’t clear how they reached Iceland, Alfreรฐsson told CNN.
Why was Iceland mosquito-free?
The World Population Review said that Iceland’s cold climate and lack of stagnant water in which the insects can breed are key contributors to the country’s former lack of mosquitoes. But this year, the country broke multiple records for its high temperatures.
Generally, Iceland rarely witnesses temperature of more than 20C (68F) in May, and when it does those heatwaves will last for no more than two to three days, its Met Office notes. That threshold was exceeded for 10 consecutive days this year in different parts of the country, though.
Moreover, Iceland witnessed its hottest ever day in May, with temperatures reaching 26.6C (79.8F) at Eglisstaรฐir Airport.