The Arctic's growing mosquito problem
Summary
Until recently, Iceland was the only Arctic nation without mosquitoes. This was a rare exception in a region where mosquitoes emerge in vast numbers each summer, tormenting wildlife and people alike. That distinction is now gone. The detection of mosquitoes just north of Reykjavík in 2025 reflects an ecological shift already underway. As the Arctic warms and human activity expands across the region, species are moving in new ways and at new scales. Mosquitoes in Iceland are more than a cur
Content
# The Arctic's growing mosquito problem
*Published: 2026 Apr 16*
Until recently, Iceland was the only Arctic nation without mosquitoes. This was
a rare exception in a region where mosquitoes emerge in vast numbers each
summer, tormenting wildlife and people alike. That distinction is now gone. The
detection of mosquitoes just north of Reykjavík in 2025 reflects an ecological
shift already underway. As the Arctic warms and human activity expands across
the region, species are moving in new ways and at new scales. Mosquitoes in
Iceland are more than a curiosity or future annoyance. They are a warning that
the Arctic lacks a system for monitoring arthropods and anticipating biological
risks before they escalate.
DOI: 10.1126/science.aeh9505