Scots asked to help track mosquitos in climate change project
Researchers at Glasgow University are tracked the insect population in Scotland
People in Scotland are being asked to join the search for mosquitos this summer, as researchers hope to learn more about the population of the insect here.
Mosquito Scotland is a three year project led by the University of Glasgow, and they are urging members of the public to register any sightings and upload photos of the flies.
The researchers are trying to establish which species of mosquitos, where they are found, and whether they currently carry any diseases, or become infected with pathogens which could come to the UK with climate change.
Project lead, Professor Heather Ferguson, said: "Although relatively low in abundance, mosquitoes have been present in Scotland for millennia, and are a natural part of our ecosystems.
No risk to human health currently
"While they don't present a risk to human health here currently, climate change could increase the risk of invasive mosquito species establishing in Scotland.
"It may also increase the risk for mosquito-borne diseases that are present in some other European countries to establish.
"By sharing information on when and where they observe mosquitoes, members of the public can make a very valuable contribution to this research and help us anticipate and prepare for any potentially negative impacts of climate change on mosquito-borne diseases."
They also want to establish whether bird populations in Scotland may be at risk of mosquito-borne pathogens such as Usutu Virus and avian malaria, as is the case for birds in England.
Register sightings with the university
As well as enabling the public to register sightings and upload photos, the website has tips on how to distinguish mosquitos from insects like midges and horseflies, and information on their ecology.
Information from the public will be used to understand how common some mosquitoes are across the country, and which types are most likely to be found around people.
It will also help researchers understand whether mosquitoes are a source of nuisance biting in Scotland, and to generate baseline information for longer-term monitoring of how mosquitoes respond to climate change.
The project received a £1.25 million grant from UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and Defra, and was funded under UKRI's one health approaches to vector-borne diseases initiative.
Further information can be found on the project website.
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