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For the first time in history, mosquitoes have been spotted in Iceland, a milestone scientists are linking directly to rapid global warming. Until now, Iceland and Antarctica were the only places on Earth without mosquitoes.
The species identified, Culiseta annulata, is known for surviving cold climates. Three specimens, two females and one male, were found in the Kindafel area by citizen reports and confirmed by entomologists at the Icelandic Institute of Natural Sciences.
“I saw an unusual fly on the trap tape and immediately knew what was happening,” said amateur naturalist Björn Hjaltasson, who first noticed the insects.
Iceland is warming at four times the Northern Hemisphere average, making its cold environment more hospitable to species that previously couldn’t survive. This warming has already caused glaciers to melt and brought warmer-water fish, like mackerel, to Icelandic waters.
The arrival of mosquitoes is another visible effect of global warming. Across Europe, insects once confined to tropical zones are creeping north. In Britain, for example, Egyptian and Asian tiger mosquitoes have been detected this year.
