CaliToday (22/10/2025): Iceland's celebrated status as one of the world's few mosquito-free countries has been broken, a researcher confirmed to the AFP on Monday.
The volcanically active North Atlantic nation, which along with Antarctica has long been a rare exception to the global presence of the pest, is now home to at least one mosquito species.
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| A female Culiseta annulata mosquito. / Credit: Robert Heemskerk / Getty Images |
Matthías Alfreðsson, an entomologist at the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, confirmed the discovery of three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes two females and one male. The insects were found around 20 miles (about 32 kilometers) north of the capital, Reykjavik.
The discovery was first made by a local resident in his backyard. Björn Hjaltason told the Icelandic Monitor that he had spotted the unfamiliar insects over multiple days. Hjaltason captured the bugs and, suspecting they were mosquitoes, sent them to Alfreðsson for professional identification.
"If three of them came straight into my garden, there were probably more," Hjaltason told the local publication, suggesting a potentially larger, unnoticed presence.
Alfreðsson explained the unusual method by which the specimens were captured. "They were all collected from wine ropes... aimed at attracting moths," the researcher said in an email. This technique involves dipping ropes or fabric strips into a heated solution of wine and sugar, which are then hung outside to entice insects.
A Landmark Discovery
The finding represents a significant milestone for the country's ecosystem. While Iceland's neighbors—including Norway, Scotland, and even Greenland—all have native mosquito populations, Iceland's unique climate and geography were long believed to make it inhospitable to them.
This is the first confirmed discovery of mosquitoes establishing themselves in Iceland's natural environment.
"It is the first record of mosquitoes occurring in the natural environment in Iceland," Alfreðsson stated.
He distinguished this finding from a previous, isolated incident. "A single Aedes nigripes specimen (arctic mosquito species) was collected many years ago from an airplane at Keflavik airport," Alfreðsson said, but he noted that "unfortunately, that specimen is lost." The airport finding was considered an isolated import, not an established presence.
Climate Change Not Blamed for Arrival
While rising temperatures and milder winters due to climate change are creating more favorable environments for mosquitoes globally, Alfreðsson did not believe a warmer climate explained this specific discovery.
Instead, he pointed to a "recent introduction to the country, possibly via ships or containers," as the most likely cause.
He noted that the Culiseta annulata species, commonly known as the "banded mosquito," is surprisingly resilient. The species "appears to be well adapted to colder climates," he explained, which "allows them to withstand long, harsh winters when temperatures drop below freezing."
Furthermore, Alfreðsson added that its "diverse breeding habitats... further enhances its ability to persist in Iceland's challenging environment."
Researchers will now have to conduct more monitoring, especially in the coming spring, to determine if the three specimens were isolated arrivals or signs of a new, permanent breeding population in Iceland.