Mosquitos found in Iceland for the first time ever and why it is a thing to worry about

Credit: Canva Credit: Canva Credit: Canva Credit: Canva Credit: Canva

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For the first time in history on record, scientists have confirmed wild mosquitoes in Iceland. The insects were discovered in mid-October 2025 in a small town north of Reykjavík, and identified as Culiseta annulata - a cold-tolerant European species. This discovery marks the end of Iceland's status as one of the only mosquito-free places on Earth. An insect enthusiast named Bjorn Hjaltason noticed an unusual “fly” in his garden in Kiðafell, Kjós, around 20-30 km north of Reykjavík. Hjaltason had been using “wine ropes” - strips of fabric soaked in sweetened red wine, a kind of trap that attract moths and other insects - and over several days he collected three specimens that looked different from the