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 “unimaginable response from the general public” to a citizen science undertaking launched final 12 months.
Since Could 2024 members of the general public have shared lots of of photos of mosquitoes – in addition to footage 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 constructive impacts on the atmosphere via their function in meals webs. While mosquitoes is usually a supply of infectious ailments in some elements of the world, they don’t pose a well being danger in Scotland at current. Nonetheless, they could be a supply of nuisance biting. Researchers intention to grasp their biodiversity and function within the ecosystem, alongside how the general public work together with these bugs.
As mosquito exercise in Scotland picks up transferring in direction of summer time, the Mosquito Scotland group are urging the general public to proceed sending of their mosquito sightings, which can allow the undertaking to precisely monitor and perceive the ecology of those bugs.
Whereas many of the 21 completely different mosquito species current in Scotland don’t chew folks, this examine discovered that a number of species could be supply of nuisance biting, indicating that human publicity to the bugs is larger throughout Scotland than is often thought.
Sightings of mosquitoes have been despatched to the Mosquito Scotland group each month within the final 12 months, with stories peaking within the spring and summer time, but additionally 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 report 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 – significantly in pine forests within the east of the nation, in addition to indoors in giant city centres resembling 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 folks, generally in giant numbers. By way of comply with up work, the analysis group have been in a position to verify 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 recognized 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 plenty of 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 possibly be accountable, however in our follow-up investigations we invariably discovered that these places have been swarming with mosquitoes – proving that folks in Scotland are good at recognising them and distinguishing them from extra acquainted bugs. Most of those websites have been areas of dense woodland, which is a key habitat for a number of aggressive human-biting mosquito species.”
Though mosquitoes don’t at present pose any infectious illness danger to people in Scotland, their bites may cause itching, discomfort and native swelling. The analysis group wish to elevate consciousness that folks could be uncovered to mosquito bites in Scotland, and supply steerage on easy precautions to forestall this. This contains making use of insect repellent and carrying lengthy sleeves throughout summer time months when mosquitoes are energetic in forested areas. These strategies may defend towards different biting pests resembling ticks and midges.
Heather Ferguson, Professor of Infectious Illness Ecology on the College of Glasgow, who leads the undertaking, mentioned: “We’re delighted and grateful for the constructive response and enthusiasm from members of the general public for this undertaking. Their participation has helped fill giant gaps in our understanding of mosquitoes each in Scotland and the UK extra typically, which is permitting us to construct an image of how the biodiversity advantages, and any potential dangers, posed by these species will reply to environmental change. We’d love to listen to extra from the general 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 businesses.
Professor Dominic Mellor, Marketing consultant in Veterinary Public Well being at Public Well being Scotland, mentioned: “The Mosquito Scotland undertaking is enjoying a significant function in serving to us to grasp extra in regards to the mosquito species now we have in our nation. Specifically, the citizen science elements are offering detailed data, beforehand missing, in regards to the presence and variety of mosquito species which are being discovered throughout Scotland. Such data is invaluable in serving to us perceive and put together appropriately for potential dangers to public well being that may come up on account of local weather change.”
The undertaking, which was awarded a £1.25m grant from UK Analysis & Innovation and DEFRA in 2023, is the primary to evaluate the danger of mosquito-borne pathogen emergence in Scotland underneath present and future local weather change eventualities. Researchers intention to search out out which mosquito species are current in Scotland, the place they’re discovered, whether or not they’re harbouring any ailments at present or if they may develop into contaminated by pathogens that will develop into the UK with local weather change.
To this point, researchers have discovered mosquitoes in virtually each place they regarded, 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 variety 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 tips about easy methods to recognise these bugs, and knowledge on their ecology. Individuals can request a follow-up from the analysis group about the kind of mosquito they’ve discovered (if a very good high quality {photograph} is submitted) or ship useless mosquitoes for identification.
The data is used to grasp how frequent some mosquitoes are throughout the nation, and which sorts are almost definitely to be discovered round folks. Crucially the information can 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 now have been delighted to see such a participation to the Mosquito Scotland citizen science undertaking. The info gathered is invaluable for understanding mosquito biodiversity in Scotland and assessing the potential dangers these species could pose because the local weather adjustments. We stay up for partaking with much more members in 2025.”
Whereas mosquitoes don’t at present pose a danger to public well being in Scotland, they’re already in a position to transmit ailments 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 resembling Usutu Virus and avian malaria in England, and the analysis will assist assess if comparable threats are current in Scotland.
All through the undertaking, researchers can 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 can be used to mannequin the danger of pathogen introduction and transmission.
