Mozzies vs midgies: Why Scotland's mosquitoes are making a comeback

Mosquitoes once spread malaria in Scotland and their numbers are on the rise as the climate gets warmer and wetter

It may come as a surprise to some but mosquitoes are actually native to Scotland. We are able to largely ignore them because, unlike their southern cousins, our ones fortunately do not spread potentially deadly diseases like malaria. And of course, midges tend to rather hog the limelight on the biting front.

A new citizen science project, organised by scientists at Glasgow University, has now thrown up more than 700 reports of mosquitoes across the country, with 21 different species. They were even spotted out and about during the winter months.

A mosquito snacks on the photographer's finger (Picture: Tom Ervin) | Getty Images

However, the first mosquito to arrive on Shetland must have been a particularly hardy example of its species. Even if it hitched a ride on a plane or a boat, it was surely possessed of a Viking spirit to survive on such windswept, northerly islands.

Apparently 200 years ago, malaria spread by mosquitoes was a problem in Scotland. As our climate becomes warmer and wetter, their numbers are expected to rise. So, who knows, at some point in the future, Scotland’s mozzies might give our infamous midgies a run for their money...