First Mosquitoes Confirmed in Warming Iceland

Scientists in Iceland have confirmed the country’s first mosquitoes, a milestone linked to rapid warming that is making the island more hospitable to insects. Entomologist Matthías Alfreðsson identified three Culiseta annulata in Kiðafell, Kjós—two females and a male—after citizen scientist Björn Hjaltason trapped them on wine ropes used to lure moths at dusk on 16 October. The cold‑resistant species can overwinter in basements and barns. Iceland, once among the few mosquito‑free places besides Antarctica, is warming at four times the northern hemisphere rate as glaciers collapse and warmer-water fish have been found.

Reviewed by JQJO team

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