An invasive mosquito species known for spreading tropical diseases has been discovered breeding inside homes in east London, prompting specialists to warn that climate change could bring more frequent arrivals of non-native mosquitoes to the UK.
The discovery marks the first confirmed case of the species breeding in Britain, and only the fourth time it has been recorded in the country.
Aedes aegypti, a mosquito typically associated with tropical and subtropical climates, is capable of carrying viruses including dengue, chikungunya and Zika in parts of the world where those diseases are already present. Although these infections are not usually fatal, they can lead to serious health complications, with Zika particularly associated with risks during pregnancy and after birth.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) stressed that the current risk to the public remains low, adding that there is no evidence the mosquitoes found in east London have led to any human infections.
The first report came through UKHSA’s mosquito watch surveillance programme. Officials said the insects may have arrived in the UK via vehicles, luggage or imported plants, and could survive if they encountered suitable conditions.
Despite signs that the mosquitoes had been breeding, the agency said the species is not established in the UK. It added that Britain’s usual climate remains too cold for Aedes aegypti to survive for extended periods.
But UKHSA cautioned that as temperatures rise, the country is likely to see continued “incursions of invasive mosquitoes”, along with more reports of such species managing to survive in parts of the UK.
David Smith, advocacy and social change manager at the wildlife charity Buglife, said the UK’s rapidly warming climate is making conditions increasingly suitable for exotic and potentially invasive species to gain a foothold.
A study earlier this year found that chikungunya, an excruciating tropical disease, can now be transmitted in most of Europe because of higher temperatures caused by the climate crisis. The analysis was the first to assess the effect of temperature on the incubation time of the virus in the Asian tiger mosquito.
Smith said: “Recent reports of non-native invertebrates, including mosquito species, highlight the urgent need for the government to strengthen biosecurity, improve surveillance and address pathways such as the movement of potted plants and soils, through which numerous invertebrates can hitchhike undetected.”
The UKHSA said control measures had been implemented to destroy the larvae, and the area would continue to be monitored closely to identify and eradicate any further mosquitoes and larvae.
It advised residents to remove standing water from gardens and outdoor spaces, including from buckets, containers, paddling pools and plant pots, to reduce opportunities for all species of mosquitoes to breed.
