For the first time ever, mosquitoes have been discovered in Iceland, a country long known as one of the few places on Earth free from the insect.
Scientists at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History confirmed that three specimens of the mosquito species Culiseta annulata were found in the Kjós area, about 30 kilometers north of the capital, Reykjavík.
The discovery marks a historic moment for Iceland, where the cold, rapidly changing climate has traditionally prevented mosquitoes from surviving or reproducing. The insects were captured earlier this month during a routine survey when researchers unexpectedly trapped two females and one male.
Experts believe the mosquitoes may have arrived due to unusually warm temperatures recorded in Iceland this year, part of a wider pattern of global climate change. According to scientists, longer and milder summers could create temporary conditions that allow mosquito species to appear in areas previously too cold to support them.
However, entomologists caution that the presence of a few mosquitoes does not necessarily mean they will form a permanent population. The country’s harsh winters and unstable temperatures could still prevent them from breeding successfully.
Until now, Iceland and Antarctica were considered the only major regions on Earth without mosquitoes.
