Scientists on the College of Glasgow have obtained greater than 700 stories of mosquitoes from throughout Scotland, together with from Dumfries and Galloway within the south to Shetland within the north, because of an “incredible response from the public” to a citizen science undertaking launched final yr.
Since Might 2024 members of the general public have shared a whole lot of photos of mosquitoes – in addition to photos of bites inflicted by the bugs – with researchers by way of the Mosquito Scotland web site.
Mosquitoes are a pure a part of Scottish ecosystems and may have optimistic impacts on the atmosphere via their position in meals webs. While mosquitoes generally is a supply of infectious illnesses in some elements of the world, they don’t pose a well being threat in Scotland at current. Nevertheless, they could be a supply of nuisance biting. Researchers purpose to grasp their biodiversity and position within the ecosystem, alongside how the general public work together with these bugs.
As mosquito exercise in Scotland picks up shifting in direction of summer season, the Mosquito Scotland group are urging the general public to proceed sending of their mosquito sightings, which can allow the undertaking to precisely observe and perceive the ecology of those bugs.
Whereas a lot of the 21 completely different mosquito species current in Scotland don’t chew individuals, this examine discovered that a number of species might be supply of nuisance biting, indicating that human publicity to the bugs is greater throughout Scotland than is usually thought.
Sightings of mosquitoes have been despatched to the Mosquito Scotland group each month within the final yr, with stories peaking within the spring and summer season, but in addition persevering with in cooler months proper as much as December. Mosquitoes have been noticed throughout the size and breadth of Scotland, with a sighting within the Shetland Isles now the northernmost mosquito document for the UK.
Mosquitoes have been noticed in many various habitats throughout the nation, however stories present that they’re mostly reported in woodland areas – notably in pine forests within the east of the nation, in addition to indoors in giant city centres similar to Glasgow.
The group additionally obtained many stories of mosquito nuisance, the place mosquitoes had not solely been noticed however had actively been making an attempt to chew individuals, typically in giant numbers. By means of observe up work, the analysis group have been in a position to affirm three mosquito species, Aedes cantans, Aedes punctor and Aedes rusticus, as the primary supply of nuisance biting in Scotland. All these species are native to the UK and are identified to chew people.
Dr Georgia Kirby, the researcher working the citizen science survey, mentioned: “There have been a number of areas of Scotland the place we obtained numerous stories of bites however only a few photographs of the culprits – understandably, as most individuals don’t wish to maintain nonetheless for a photograph whereas they’re being bitten by bugs.
“We had suspected that midges or clegs could be responsible, but in our follow-up investigations we invariably found that these locations were swarming with mosquitoes – proving that people in Scotland are good at recognising them and distinguishing them from more familiar insects. Most of these sites were areas of dense woodland, which is a key habitat for several aggressive human-biting mosquito species.”
Though mosquitoes don’t presently pose any infectious illness threat to people in Scotland, their bites could cause itching, discomfort and native swelling. The analysis group wish to elevate consciousness that folks might be uncovered to mosquito bites in Scotland, and supply steerage on easy precautions to forestall this. This contains making use of insect repellent and sporting lengthy sleeves throughout summer season months when mosquitoes are energetic in forested areas. These strategies can even shield towards different biting pests similar to ticks and midges.
Heather Ferguson, Professor of Infectious Illness Ecology on the College of Glasgow, who leads the undertaking, mentioned: “We are delighted and grateful for the positive response and enthusiasm from members of the public for this project. Their participation has helped fill large gaps in our understanding of mosquitoes both in Scotland and the UK more generally, which is allowing us to build a picture of how the biodiversity benefits, and any potential risks, posed by these species will respond to environmental change. We would love to hear more from the public in 2025.”
Mosquito Scotland is a collaborative undertaking between the College of Glasgow, the MRC-College of Glasgow Centre for Virus Analysis (CVR), the UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH). The undertaking incorporates the views of stakeholders from Public Well being Scotland, the Scottish Authorities and environmental companies.
Professor Dominic Mellor, Guide in Veterinary Public Well being at Public Well being Scotland, mentioned: “The Mosquito Scotland project is playing a vital role in helping us to understand more about the mosquito species we have in our country. In particular, the citizen science aspects are providing detailed information, previously lacking, about the presence and diversity of mosquito species that are being found across Scotland. Such information is invaluable in helping us understand and prepare appropriately for potential risks to public health that might arise as a result of climate change.”
The undertaking, which was awarded a £1.25m grant from UK Analysis & Innovation and DEFRA in 2023, is the primary to evaluate the chance of mosquito-borne pathogen emergence in Scotland beneath present and future local weather change situations. Researchers purpose to search out out which mosquito species are current in Scotland, the place they’re discovered, whether or not they’re harbouring any illnesses presently or if they may grow to be contaminated by pathogens that will increase into the UK with local weather change.
Thus far, researchers have discovered mosquitoes in virtually each place they seemed, protecting the size and breadth of Scotland. Efforts to search out and lure mosquitoes throughout Scotland are being led by Dr Georgia Kirby and PhD Scholar Meshach Lee within the College’s Faculty of Biodiversity, One Well being and Veterinary Medication. To this point, they’ve collected greater than 4000 mosquitoes throughout Scotland, in a spread of places, from parks in city Glasgow to nature reserves on the northern coast of the nation.
The Mosquito Scotland web site has directions on how the general public can be a part of the search by registering a mosquito sighting and importing a photograph, with recommendations on learn how to recognise these bugs, and data on their ecology. Folks can request a follow-up from the analysis group about the kind of mosquito they’ve discovered (if a great high quality {photograph} is submitted) or ship lifeless mosquitoes for identification.
The data is used to grasp how frequent some mosquitoes are throughout the nation, and which varieties are almost certainly to be discovered round individuals. Crucially the info might be used to generate baseline data for longer-term monitoring of how mosquitoes reply to local weather change.
Dr Emilie Pondeville, Senior Analysis Fellow at MRC-College of Glasgow (CVR), who co-leads the undertaking, mentioned: “We have been delighted to see such a participation to the Mosquito Scotland citizen science project. The data gathered is invaluable for understanding mosquito biodiversity in Scotland and assessing the potential risks these species may pose as the climate changes. We look forward to engaging with even more participants in 2025.”
Whereas mosquitoes don’t presently pose a threat to public well being in Scotland, they’re already in a position to transmit illnesses to birds in different elements of the UK. Birds in each wild populations and zoos (e.g. penguins) have been considerably affected by mosquito-borne pathogens similar to Usutu Virus and avian malaria in England, and the analysis will assist assess if related threats are current in Scotland.
All through the undertaking, researchers might be conducting surveillance of mosquitoes and screening migratory birds throughout Scotland for the presence of rising zoonotic pathogens, together with West Nile and Usutu viruses; and outcomes might be used to mannequin the chance of pathogen introduction and transmission.
