Mosquitoes have been found in Iceland for the first time after the country experienced record-breaking heat this spring.

Insect enthusiast Bjorn Hjaltason encountered the mosquitoes over several nights last week while using wine-soaked ropes to observe moths, local media reported.

Mr Hjaltason found two female mosquitoes and one male which were later confirmed to be Culiseta annulata, one of the few species that can successfully survive winter.

Iceland was one of only two mosquito-free havens in the world prior to the discovery, partly due to its cold climate. The only other recorded mosquito-free zone is Antarctica.

The mosquitoes were found in Kjós, a glacial valley to the South West of the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik.

Mr Hjaltason shared the news of his discovery on a Facebook page for local wildlife alongside pictures of the insects, describing a strange fly on a red wine ribbon, according to Icelandic media.

I could tell right away that this was something I had never seen before, he said in the post, adding that, the last fortress seems to have fallen.

Mr Hjaltason sent the insects to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History for identification, where entomologist Matthías Alfreðsson confirmed his suspicions.

The species are common across parts of Europe and North Africa, but it isn’t clear how they reached Iceland, Alfreðsson told CNN.

Prior to this year’s occurrence, Iceland's cold climate and lack of stagnant water suitable for insect breeding had helped maintain its mosquito-free status. However, this year, the country broke multiple records for its high temperatures.

Historically, Iceland rarely experiences highs of more than 20C (68F) in May, but this threshold was exceeded for 10 consecutive days this year, with the hottest reaching 26.6C (79.8F).

A June study noted that shifts in climate could have significant impacts on delicate ecosystems which have adapted to the cold climate and are sensitive to temperature changes.

Last year was the hottest on record globally, and the UN has highlighted human influence on rising temperatures.

Further monitoring will be needed in the spring to determine whether the mosquitoes have indeed established themselves in Iceland.

Mr Hjaltason speculated on their origin, suggesting they might have arrived via shipping routes, given the proximity of the Grundartangi port.

If three of them came straight into my garden, there were probably more, he remarked.