Overview
- Three Culiseta annulata—two females and one male—were collected on wine-soaked ropes in Kiðafell, Kjós, about 30 kilometers north of Reykjavík.
- Entomologist Matthías Alfreðsson at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History verified the specimens after citizen scientist Björn Hjaltason captured and submitted them.
- Researchers emphasize that this is a first record rather than proof of an established population, with systematic monitoring planned to assess survival and spread.
- Possible introduction routes include ships or containers, though the pathway remains unconfirmed despite proximity to the port area at Grundartangi.
- Iceland has warmed rapidly and saw record May heat this year, yet scientists caution against directly attributing this single detection to climate change even as such warming can favor future range expansions.