Mosquitoes discovered in Iceland for the first time

Three mosquitoes discovered for the first time in Iceland. Photo: Alexander Northey .

The Icelandic Institute of Natural History confirmed that the first three mosquitoes were found in West Iceland, marking the first time the insect has been recorded living on the island nation, which has a year-round cold climate.

According to RÚV, the discovery was made by Björn Hjaltason in mid-October. Sharing in the Facebook group Insects in Iceland, he said that at dusk on October 16, he saw “a strange fly” clinging to a red ribbon, the trap he used to attract insects.

“I immediately suspected something was wrong and quickly caught it. It turned out to be a female,” Björn said. He later collected two more specimens and sent them to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History for identification.

The results showed that all three samples belonged to the species Culiseta annulata, a cold-resistant mosquito commonly found in northern Europe. Entomologist Matthías Alfreðsson, who personally identified the samples, said the discovery was of great scientific significance.

“This is the first time mosquitoes have been found in Iceland. Although flies and insects have occasionally been seen arriving on planes, none have ever been recorded in the wild,” said Alfreðsson.

According to Matthías, this mosquito species is well adapted to cold weather, being able to overwinter in warm basements or barns. This suggests that Iceland’s climate, which has long been considered too harsh for mosquitoes, may be gradually becoming more favorable for them.

Scientists had predicted the possibility of mosquitoes appearing in Iceland, especially after a species of louse fly (Hippoboscidae) was recorded in the country in 2015. The new discovery opens up research on changes in local ecosystems in the context of global climate change, which is clearly affecting the North Atlantic region.

Source: https://znews.vn/lan-dau-tien-phat-hien-loai-muoi-o-iceland-post1595938.html