Blood-sucking mosquitoes were discovered for the first time in Iceland, a consequence of climate warming

Three blood-sucking mosquitoes were found in Kjos, Iceland in early October, the first time the insects have been found in the country. The discovery was reported by entomologist of the Icelandic Institute of Natural History Mattias Alvredsson, RÚV TV channel reports .

Before this, Björn Hjaltason spoke about the discovered mosquitoes in the Facebook group “Insects of Iceland”. On the evening of October 16, he noticed an unusual “fly” on the bait that he uses to attract insects. Björn immediately suspected that it was a mosquito and identified the sex of the insect - it turned out to be a female. He found two more individuals, which he transferred to the Institute of Natural History, where his guess was confirmed.

Mattias Alvredsson believes that the insect may well settle in Iceland. The mosquito belongs to the species Culiseta Annulata, which is very resistant to cold. It often overwinters in enclosed areas such as basements and outbuildings.

Although this is the first time the blood-sucking mosquitoes have been discovered on Icelandic soil, they have previously been found on planes arriving in the country. Scientists predicted the appearance of this species in Iceland, especially after the bell mosquito (which does not feed on blood) settled here in 2015.

Previous research has shown that forest plants are slowly but steadily moving into the Arctic tundra due to climate change. The most active “borealization”—as researchers call the penetration of northern species into the tundra—occurs in Eurasia, especially in areas located closer to the forest boundary.