Three specimens were found this month in Kjós, a rural valley near the Hvalfjörður fjord, Iceland’s national broadcaster confirmed.
The discovery was first reported by insect enthusiast Björn Hjaltason in a Facebook group Skordyr á Íslandi (“Insects in Iceland”). The samples were then sent to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, where entomologist Matthias Alfredsson confirmed that they were indeed mosquitoes.
The species was identified as Culiseta annulataknown for its resistance to cold and widely distributed in Northern Europe. “It is very likely that mosquitoes will become permanent residents here,” Alfredsson said. “This species usually spends the winter in warmer and sheltered areas, such as basements or barns.”
Although mosquitoes have occasionally appeared in Iceland before, mostly by accident, this is the first time they have been found surviving in natural conditions. Scientists have been warning for years that mosquitoes could permanently inhabit Iceland, especially after the tiny flies successfully adapted to the cold climate in 2015.
Experts say the discovery clearly shows how climate change and warming northern areas are allowing cold-resistant insects to spread further than ever before.
(Vijesti.ba)
