Iceland lost the distinction this month of being one of the last places in the world without a confirmed sighting of wild mosquitoes. And their presence was discovered only because of a rope in a garden doused in sugary red wine.

A bug enthusiast named Bjorn Hjaltason has spent years attracting insects to his property using a method known as “wine roping,” in which fabric dipped in sugared wine is used as a lure. Usually, the wine draws moths, according to Matthias S. Alfredsson, an entomologist at the Natural Science Institute of Iceland who occasionally collaborates with Hjaltason on projects.

But on Oct. 16, Hjaltason noticed an unusual bug, said Alfredsson. Could it be a mosquito? He sent a photo to Alfredsson, who went to look in person. (Hjaltason did not respond to requests for co

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