Overview
- Citizen scientist Björn Hjaltason collected two females and one male on wine‑soaked ropes in Kiðafell, Kjós, after first spotting a “strange fly” on October 16.
- The Natural Science Institute of Iceland verified the insects as Culiseta annulata and recorded them as the country’s first mosquitoes found in the natural environment.
- Experts note the cold‑tolerant species can shelter indoors through winter, but survival and reproduction in Iceland have yet to be demonstrated.
- Researchers plan targeted surveillance through winter and into spring and are considering ships or containers as plausible pathways for introduction.
- Coverage places the discovery in a year of exceptional warmth for Iceland, while scientists caution against a direct climate link and note this species is not a major vector for dengue or Zika.