Mosquitoes have been discovered in Iceland for the first time, with three specimens found near Reykjavík in October 2025.
Researchers link the arrival to Arctic warming and increased human activity, suggesting mosquitoes and other arthropods are expanding into new regions.
Scientists warn these changes may disrupt Arctic ecosystems, affecting birds and reindeer, and call for improved, coordinated insect monitoring across the region.
Mosquitoes have breached Iceland's natural defenses; which invasive species is next for the Arctic?
How will the arrival of mosquitoes permanently alter Iceland's ecosystem and its global image?
As new species arrive, what is the true risk of new diseases spreading across the North?
What international biosecurity plan can protect the Arctic now that its isolation is gone?
With the Arctic warming four times faster, is monitoring ecological collapse the only option left?
Beyond mosquitoes, how does thawing permafrost threaten to accelerate global climate change?
Mosquitoes Invade Iceland in 2025: A Clear Signal of Rapid Arctic Warming and Emerging Ecological Risks
Overview
In 2025, rapid Arctic warming and increased global travel enabled the cold-resistant mosquito species Culiseta annulata to reach Iceland, ending its long-standing mosquito-free status. Iceland experienced extreme temperature rises, glacier loss, and weakened natural barriers, while human structures provided safe habitats for mosquitoes to survive. Although this species poses low immediate health risks, its arrival signals vulnerability to more dangerous mosquitoes that could bring diseases as climate change expands their habitats globally. In response, Iceland has launched citizen science initiatives and formal surveillance, collaborating with European partners to monitor and prepare for potential ecological and public health impacts amid a warming Arctic.