Mosquito population in Finland depleted due to heat

An insect expert in Finland says the exceptionally hot summer has taken its toll on the Nordic country's mosquito population and they have all but vanished from some areas, particularly so in the Lapland area in the Arctic north.

Dr. Jukka Salmela from the Provincial Museum of Lapland told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the typical breeding grounds for mosquitoes such as shallow ponds and other damp areas have dried up in the heat wave, resulting in fewer of them flying around.

Finland has experienced one of its hottest and driest summers on record with no rain in weeks and temperatures reaching up to 33 C in several places.

Over a third of the country's surface extends above the Arctic Circle where high temperatures have been recorded as well.

Salmela said the disappearance of the blood-sucking insects, seen by most people as a major nuisance, has made it more pleasant to visit Lapland which is notorious for mosquito infestations from late June until August.

Salmela said that around 40 different mosquito types exist in Finland.

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