Iceland reports the presence of mosquitoes for the first time, as climate warms
toggle caption Robert Pickett/Alamy
Icelanders may be the last group of people on Earth to experience the pesky bite of a mosquito.
This week, Iceland recorded the presence of the insects within its borders for the first time in the Nordic nation's history.
The discovery of three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes was confirmed Monday by the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, which said the mosquitoes likely arrived by freight and appeared to be able to withstand Iceland's climate. (There have been previous reports of mosquitoes found in airplanes in Iceland.)
The institute noted that the mosquitoes were one of a number of new insect species discovered in Iceland in recent years due to a warming climate and the growth of international transportation.
Insect enthusiast Björn Hjaltason said he found the mosquitoes on a farm in Kjós, just north of Reykjavík, earlier this month.
Sponsor Message
"At dusk on the evening of October 16th, I caught sight of a strange fly on a red wine ribbon," Hjaltason told Icelandic broadcaster RUV. "I immediately suspected what was going on and quickly collected the fly. It was a female."
Hjaltason later trapped two more. All three insects were turned over to authorities for testing, which revealed that they were two female and one male mosquitoes.
... continue reading