Why There Are No Mosquitoes in Iceland 0 10

In neighboring countries such as Greenland, Scotland, and Denmark, mosquitoes have always been and remain present, which makes the absence of these insects in Iceland a subject of interest for many scientists.

According to experts, the most likely reason for the absence of mosquitoes in Iceland is the island's oceanic climate, which does not allow them to survive. As reported by The New York Times in its 2016 report: “When mosquitoes lay eggs in cold weather, the larvae emerge with a thaw, allowing them to reproduce. However, in Iceland, there are usually three major freezes and thaws each year, creating conditions that are too unstable for the insects to survive.”

There is another theory suggesting that the chemical composition of the water, soil, and ecosystems in Iceland is unsuitable for mosquito life. This explanation seems more plausible, as over time, mosquitoes could have been introduced to Iceland both accidentally and intentionally, and adapted to the local climate. Currently, the only mosquito in the country is kept in the laboratory of the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. This specimen was caught in the 1980s by biologist Gilsi Mar Gislason in the cabin of an Icelandic airplane and is now preserved in alcohol.

However, this does not mean that Iceland will remain mosquito-free forever. With global warming and climate change, conditions on the island may change.