Do Mosquitoes Live in Ireland?
WouterUnlike some parts of the world, mosquitoes are not thought to be adapted to survive in Ireland. The climate is normally too cold for mosquitoes to breed. In fact, the vast majority of mosquitoes that arrived in Ireland by air or ship came from warmer climes.
Mosquitoes can carry a wide range of infections, including malaria, Zika virus and West Nile virus. They are also capable of carrying yellow fever.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) monitors the presence of different types of mosquitoes in Ireland. During the last year, inspectors found 53 different species of mosquito in the country. This included the Anopheles plumbeus, which is known to carry West Nile virus.
The majority of Irish mosquitoes are imported from tropical countries, but they do not exist in large enough numbers to cause disease outbreaks. However, Dr Bourke believes it is important to tackle the insects before they become adults. He believes the best method is to tackle them in their larval stage.
The Culex pipiens mosquito, native to Ireland, can be found floating over water in late summer and early autumn. It is a vector for avian malaria and Japanese encephalitis. It is also suspected to carry Dengue, Chikungunya, and West Nile viruses.
There are a number of reasons for the increase in invasive arthropods in Ireland. The increased movement of goods from warmer regions of the world and the increasing amount of livestock in the countryside can be contributing factors.
