With World Mosquito Day taking place today (August 20) Pelsis is warning Brits not to dismiss mosquitoes as nothing more than an annoying summer nuisance.
While Britain is home to 36 native mosquito species, UKHSA says changes in climate could alter where native species are found and how long they are active for, while invasive species such as the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) are already being detected in the UK.
The species has not yet become established here, but its eggs were first found in 2016 in southeast England and it is capable of transmitting diseases including dengue and chikungunya.
The UKHSA’s updated 2026 contingency plan also highlights the continued spread and establishment of invasive Aedesmosquitoes across Europe, alongside more frequent local outbreaks of associated diseases, making surveillance and early control increasingly important.
But experts say Brits may be overlooking one of the simplest parts of mosquito prevention: what is sitting in our own gardens.
Mosquitoes don’t need a tropical lagoon to breed. Small amounts of stagnant water in everyday household and garden items – from buckets and plant pots to water butts, blocked gutters and paddling pools – can provide breeding sites.
