Mosquitoes Likely To Reach Iceland

Gísli Már Gíslason, a former biology professor, believes that mosquitoes found in Scandinavia and the British Isles could easily survive in Iceland. They just haven’t arrived yet, reports Vísir.

He pointed to Greenland as an example, where mosquitoes are already well established and tough enough to bite through trousers and jackets.

“They’ve been there since the end of the Ice Age. They’ve adapted to feed primarily on large animals like musk oxen and reindeer, which is why they have longer proboscises,” he said.

That said, Gísli doubts the Greenlandic mosquito would thrive in Iceland, due to fluctuating winter conditions — where lakes thaw and refreeze mid-season.

“In Greenland, once it thaws, summer has arrived. Larvae mature quickly, pupate, and the adult mosquito emerges to seek a mammal host,” he explained.

Still, he expects it’s only a matter of time before mosquitoes reach Iceland.

“There are over 40 species of biting mosquitoes in neighbouring countries. As climate change progresses, species once limited to tropical regions are steadily moving north.”

Among them is the notorious tiger mosquito, now found in parts of France and Italy.

“So it’s not a question of survival — there are species in Scandinavia and the British Isles that could easily live here. They just haven’t been introduced yet.”

Read our 2017 interview with Gísli here.