The Only Place in the World With No Mosquitoes

Arrgh, they keep coming out of nowhere. Mosquitoes are among the most common insects globally, with over 2,500 species buzzing, annoying and biting people. It seems like you can’t escape their silent presence, and their incognito nibbles wherever you go.

However, there is one place you can go where you don’t have to sleep under a protective net or keep bug spray next to you. Drum roll, please.... Ta-da! Iceland.

This European country is isolated from many other places and is home to some rowdy volcanoes and beautiful landscapes. The best part of it all is that you can enjoy your trip without worrying about those little pests. Scientists have been wondering why there aren’t any mosquitos there, even though the cold isn’t a deal-breaker for mosquitoes to thrive. They prefer a wet, humid environment instead of the extreme north and south of the planet. But this isn’t stopping them from reproducing in cold places — it’s just Iceland that mosquitoes aren’t particularly fond of.

Some scientific theories include the freezing temperatures — just because mosquitoes can reproduce in Iceland doesn’t mean they like it there. Another theory is the chemical composition of the country’s soil and water. The little critters can’t adapt to it for a breeding ground. The main factor at hand is the temperature and the oceanic climate.

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in bodies of water. When the eggs hatch and the larvae emerge, they have to thaw out. That will allow them to repeat the cycle. In Iceland, 3 major freezes and thaws happen every year. Mosquitoes wouldn’t be able to survive through those. You would also expect neighboring territories like Greenland, Great Britain, and Norway to be hostile to mosquitoes, but this isn’t the case. Plenty of these buzzers live and thrive there.

Once, a mosquito managed to sneak into Iceland on a plane from Greenland. Sadly, or luckily, it’s for you to decide, it didn’t make it due to the conditions. Mosquitoes can travel large distances, but the closest source would be Norway or Scotland, which are too far away for them to fly on their own. Iceland is free from mosquitoes, but it doesn’t seem it will be so forever.

Scientists have reported 400 new insect species in the past 30 years. It could mean that either the insects are adapting to different climates or the climates are changing for insects to thrive. Out of the 2,500 species of mosquitoes, more than 30 live in Britain and Scandinavia. It might be only a matter of time before they adapt and populate Iceland. These particular species would be capable of thriving in Iceland. But for now, the locals can enjoy the blissful freedom of smooth skins.

Iceland may seem far away, but that’s nothing compared to Svalbard. This island is the northernmost populated place in the world. While here, no one talks about mosquitoes as a threat, you might want to watch out for polar bears. Yup, the biggest carnivores on Earth are the biggest threat to people daily. You can walk around town and see signs that say “watch out for polar bears.” The island hardly has 3,000 people living on it. It’s composed of more than 50 nationalities mainly working in mining. You can visit a Thai restaurant in freezing temperatures or buy some imported goods from a local grocery store.

You have to be well-protected whenever you go out. They recommend keeping your car running and unlocked if you step outside for a while. The reason is that if a polar bear pops out of nowhere, you can safely run inside your car to protect yourself. And the polar bears, you know, can’t drive. Now Polar bears aren’t the only creatures you’d find on this island. You can find some walruses, foxes, puffins, and penguins there.

Sad news, guys. We are outnumbered in this world. Yes, there are almost 8 billion people, but that’s nothing compared to the ants. They might be small in size but strong in numbers. As individuals, ants can carry hundreds of times their weight.

We don’t know the exact number of ants roaming around, but scientists can guess that there are between 10 and 100,000 trillion of them. Unlike mosquitoes, ants are very useful for the environment. They spread seeds and help get rid of things that harm nature. They build deep tunnels which can house millions of their kind.

Every ant belongs to a colony and remains loyal to one. It’s often we see ants marching one by one, scavenging for food outside the colony. They rarely get lost and know exactly who is part of their colony. If they encounter other ants, they won’t be too friendly. Instead, ants would rather remain close to their brothers to serve their main purpose and protect their queen. That’s what they’re born to do. You can find some ants that come in different sizes. The smaller ones usually take care of the queen and the babies.

The regular-sized ones are considered to be the worker or scavenger ants. They build tunnels to house the babies and protect the queen as she roams around the tunnel. The larger ants protect the colony from any imposing danger outside, like some large insects or another ant colony that decided to expand their food search. Some ants pack a nasty bite, while some will just invade your picnic. And yes, in case you’ve been wondering, there are ants all the way in Iceland as well. And there can be ants in your pants as well.

Okay, if I tell you there’s one insect that can survive just about anything, including radiation? The one that can thrive anywhere and is a champion at endurance. Can you guess its name? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the cockroach. These guys mostly like dark corners and seldom go out in plain sight.

They’re the super insects that would win gold if there was an insect Olympics. They crawl really fast and occasionally fly. And if you think you can escape from them in the water, then think again. These creep crawlers can hold their breath submerged in water for 40 minutes, which is longer than what humans can do.

They are one of the many insects that can last for a long time without food. They’re cold-blooded, meaning their bodies need external heat to warm up. While they can go on for a while foodless, they need water and can only last for about a week without it. That’s why roaches like to live in humid or moist locations like bathrooms, basements, kitchens, or anywhere that has pipes and running water. They’re experts in adapting to their environments. If you find one, then most likely there are dozens if not hundreds more somewhere nearby.

If they’re infesting your home, experts recommend finding and getting rid of the source they come from. Throw out the trash regularly and make sure to clean up everywhere you eat. Make sure no breadcrumbs are scattered for cockroaches or ants to pick up. If you see any holes where the vermin can crawl out, then seal them up immediately. Any entry point can be trouble for you, especially if they’re next to watery places. If mosquitoes have around 2,500 different species, cockroaches are in a whole other league with more than 4,000 kinds worldwide.

They’re so many and also very, very old. Some fossils suggest the first of their kind were here more than 280 million years ago. Unlike me. Throughout history, they survived many major natural disasters and remained on top. They’re some of the few creatures who have made it since then.

Some places near the Sahara Desert shouldn’t only watch out for heat waves but also for locust swarms. These creatures can travel for miles across countries and eat up everything along the way. Even though they can jump long distances, they have wings to fly. They usually land on large crop farms and eat everything up, leaving nothing behind.

You can mostly find them in Africa, but they can also fly to places in the Middle East and Asia. Desert locust swarms aren’t just creepy. They can affect the economy and people’s livelihoods. Each one can eat its weight in crops and leave a devastating aftermath. Hey, compared to that, mosquitoes don’t seem so bad now, do they?