Mosquitoes present in Iceland for first time as local weather disaster warms nation | Insects

Mosquitoes have been present in Iceland for the primary time as international heating makes the nation extra hospitable for bugs.

The nation was till this month one of many solely locations on the earth that didn’t have a mosquito inhabitants. The different is Antarctica.

Scientists have predicted for a while that mosquitoes might set up themselves in Iceland as there are plentiful breeding habitats equivalent to marshes and ponds. Many species can be unable to outlive the cruel local weather, nevertheless.

But Iceland is warming, at four times the rate of the remainder of the northern hemisphere. Glaciers have been collapsing and fish from hotter, southern climes equivalent to mackerel have been discovered within the nation’s waters.

As the planet warms, extra species of mosquito have been discovered throughout the globe. In the UK, eggs of the Egyptian mosquito (Aedes aegypti) have been discovered this yr, and the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) has been found in Kent. These are invasive species that may unfold tropical illnesses equivalent to dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus.

Matthías Alfreðsson, an entomologist on the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, confirmed the findings there. He recognized the bugs himself after they have been despatched to him by a citizen scientist.

He mentioned: “Three specimens of Culiseta annulata were found in Kiðafell, Kjós, two females and one male. They were all collected from wine ropes during wine roping aimed at attracting moths.”

The species is cold-resistant and might survive Icelandic circumstances by sheltering by way of winter in basements and barns.

Björn Hjaltason discovered the mosquitoes and posted about it on the Facebook group Insects in Iceland. “At dusk on October 16, I caught sight of a strange fly on a red wine ribbon,” Björn mentioned, referring to the lure he makes use of to draw bugs. “I immediately suspected what was going on and quickly collected the fly. It was a female.”

He caught two extra and despatched them to the science institute the place they have been recognized.