It made the news recently that three dead mosquitoes were found in Iceland, prompting fears that Iceland will no longer be free from mosquitoes. However, the species will still need to complete a full lifecycle and survive all seasons, including the winter which is coming, as evidenced by the surprising snowstorm in Reykjavík yesterday. Before that, we can not know with certainty that they are here to stay. Hopefully, Iceland was just a location on their bucket list before dying.
Which insects are there in Iceland?
The insect fauna of Iceland is more varied than you might expect but also much less varied than that of many countries further south. Around 1300 species have been identified, out of which 1100 are endemic. In other European countries, there are usually 18 to 25 thousand species per country. Most insects in Iceland are of European origin, only a few of American origin.
Moths and beetles
Around 240 species of beetles and moths have been identified in Iceland and for flies, 380 species have been found. Looking at only moths, 100 species have been identified while their colorful “cousins” butterflies do not thrive in Iceland.
Flies
There are around 380 species of diptera (two-winged or true flies) in Iceland. Among the most common types of diptera are the housefly (musca domestica), the lesser housefly (fannia canicularis), the crane fly (tipulidae), the blue bottle fly (calliphora vomitoria), biting midges (simulidae) and non-biting midges (chironomidae).
What about biting insects?
Biting insects in Iceland are primarily wasps, biting midges and black flies. It is worth mentioning ticks as well even though they are not classified as insects (they are part of the arachnid family).
Mosquitoes belong here as well for now although it remains to be seen whether they can withstand the winter as well.
Are there any bedbugs?
Yes, bedbugs are present in Iceland and have grown in number alongside increased tourism in the past 15 years or so, both into Iceland and out (residents travelling abroad). Bedbugs have been found in every region of the country. They only live inside houses in dry and heated conditions. They are most commonly found in tourist accommodation, such as hotels, hostels and summerhouses.
After being nearly eradicated in developed countries after World War II, infestations have increased since the 1990s and bed bugs are now relatively common in all regions of the globe.
