REYKJAVÍK, Iceland — Iceland has reported its first wild mosquito sightings, bringing an end to the country’s unique position as a mosquito-free zone. This finding has sparked concerns about how climate change might be affecting the Arctic region.

The Natural Science Institute of Iceland has verified the presence of three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes—two female and one male—discovered near Reykjavík. This confirmation comes from Matthías Alfreðsson, an entomologist with the institute.

The mosquitoes were initially spotted earlier this month by Björn Hjaltason, an avid insect enthusiast. He noticed the insects on red wine ribbons used to attract moths at a farm located in Kjós, roughly 20 miles north of Reykjavík.

“On the evening of October 16th, as the sun was setting, I noticed an unusual fly on a red wine ribbon,” Hjaltason recounted to Icelandic broadcaster RÚV. “I immediately had a suspicion about its identity and quickly captured it. It turned out to be a female.”

Alfreðsson told CNN this marks “the first record of mosquitoes occurring in the natural environment in Iceland.” While a single mosquito from a different species was discovered years ago on an airplane at Keflavík International Airport, none had previously been found outdoors.

Before this month, Iceland and Antarctica were the only regions with no recorded mosquitoes. Now, only Antarctica remains mosquito-free.

The mosquitoes belong to a cold-tolerant species native to northern Europe. The Natural Science Institute said Culiseta annulata are large mosquitoes present in Europe and other Nordic countries that can live in cold weather, usually finding shelter in outbuildings and basements.

The institute said the mosquitoes likely arrived by freight, though the exact origin remains unknown. Further monitoring will be needed in the spring to see whether the species can survive the winter and “truly become established in Iceland,” Alfreðsson said.

Though the species can bite, the institute said Culiseta annulata don’t carry known infections in European areas. Experts do not consider the species to be a major disease vector, though it can transmit Tahyna virus, a non-life-threatening illness that causes flu-like symptoms.

Climate change is causing temperatures to rise across the world, and the Arctic region is warming at more than double the rate of the global average. Iceland is warming at a rate four times faster than the rest of the northern hemisphere due to a steady flow of warm air from the south, according to the World Weather Attribution.

However, Alfreðsson did not believe that a warmer climate explained the discovery, noting the species “appears to be well adapted to colder climates”. Colin Carlson, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Yale University School of Public Health, told CNN that Iceland may have been hospitable to these insects even without climate change.

More than 1 million people die annually worldwide from mosquito-borne illness, according to the American Mosquito Control Association.