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Mosquitoes infiltrated Iceland. Will they survive the winter?

Iceland’s harsh winters have probably kept the island mosquito-free

A mosquito with large, fluffy antennae is centered in the photo. It seems to be sitting on a wet leaf; the background is completely green and there are tiny drops of water on a small mound that the mosquito is standing on. The mosquito is facing to the right of the frame.

A resident of Iceland captured three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes (species pictured) on the island in mid-October. The find marks the first time mosquitoes have been identified in the country, previously one of the last mosquito-free places on Earth.

scubaluna/Getty Images

By Erin Garcia de Jesús

Iceland’s first mosquitoes are poised to face a frosty test.