Mosquito study welcomed in Ballykelly after repeated bites

Queen's University Belfast is leading a four-year MosquitoNI project to document mosquito numbers and assess any potential risk in Northern Ireland; residents of Ballykelly say mosquitoes have tormented them in recent summers and researchers are asking the public to report sightings.

Researchers from Queen's University Belfast have launched the four-year MosquitoNI project to document mosquito numbers across Northern Ireland and assess any potential health risk. The project team says it aims to challenge the idea that mosquitoes are absent in the region and includes partners at the University of Glasgow and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Residents of Ballykelly in County Londonderry report heavy mosquito activity in recent summers, including multiple bites that required treatment. The research will combine trap sampling and public reports to build a clearer picture of local mosquito species and their prevalence. Key points: - The MosquitoNI project runs for four years and is led by Queen's University Belfast with partner institutions. - Residents in Ballykelly have described repeated and intense mosquito biting over recent summers, with some bites needing medical treatment according to local accounts. - Previous Queen's University Belfast sampling found thousands of mosquitoes and around 20 species across the island of Ireland. - To date, mosquito-borne diseases have not been detected in Northern Ireland, but researchers say changing climate and species movement may be shifting risk. - The public are being invited to submit sightings through a "Report a Mosquito" form as part of the project data collection. Summary: The research responds to local reports of heavy mosquito activity and aims to document species presence and any disease risk through trap sampling and public reporting. Findings from the MosquitoNI project will determine what the data show about mosquito numbers and prevalence; the next stages involve continued data collection and analysis.