For the first time in history, mosquitoes have been discovered in Iceland, a nation long known as one of the few places on Earth free of the bloodsucking insects.

According to Matthias Alfredsson, an entomologist at the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes, two females and one male, were recently found about 30 kilometres north of the capital, Reykjavik.

 “They were all collected from wine ropes aimed at attracting moths,” Alfredsson explained in an email to AFP. The technique involves soaking ropes or fabric strips in a sweetened wine mixture, which is then hung outdoors to attract insects.

Until now, Iceland, along with Antarctica, was considered one of the few regions in the world without a resident mosquito population. Alfredsson noted that while a single Aedes nigripes specimen was once found at Keflavik Airport decades ago, it was likely transported by plane and later lost.

The recent discovery could suggest a new introduction of mosquitoes, possibly through ships or shipping containers. However, Alfredsson emphasized that further surveillance in the spring would be necessary to determine whether the insects can establish a stable population.

While global warming has enabled mosquitoes to expand into new regions, Alfredsson dismissed the notion that rising temperatures alone explain their appearance in Iceland.

 “This species appears to be well adapted to colder climates,” he said, noting its ability to survive long, harsh winters and breed in diverse habitats, factors that may now allow it to persist in Iceland’s challenging environment.