Denmark certainly does have mosquitoes, but they’re generally not as numerous or as aggressive as in warmer, more humid countries. There are more than 1,000 species of mosquitoes living in Denmark – but only around 35 species of biting mosquitoes. Did you know that only female mosquitoes bite humans, as they require the protein to breed?
There is no dangerous mosquito species – like malaria- or dengue-carrying ones.
From very few mosquitoes close to the sea to quite many in wetlands and forest areas.
There are generally few mosquitoes on the coasts – and out in the sun as most mosquitoes prefer shade. Generally, mosquitoes in Denmark are only a particular problem during dusk hours. They generally appear around mid-May and disappear again towards the end of September.
They’re mostly harmless but can still be very annoying and itchy!
Are you’re planning a summer trip to Denmark and will be near wetlands or forested areas, a little mosquito repellent wouldn’t hurt. You can buy local mosquito repellent at pharmacies and most grocery stores.
Mosquitoes go through four stages in their lifecycle: from egg to larva to pupa before finally becoming an adult. Water is essential for mosquitoes to breed, as mosquitoes spend the larval and pupal stages of their lifecycle in water.
As annoying as mosquitoes are to us, they actually do play a role in ecosystems?
Mosquito larvae live in water and are eaten by fish, amphibians, and insects.
Adult mosquitoes are a snack for birds (especially swallows, swifts), bats, frogs, dragonflies, and spiders. Some species depend on mosquitoes as a reliable food source during specific times of the year.
While many female mosquitoes feed on blood to make eggs, male mosquitoes drink nectar. In doing so, they pollinate certain plants. In complex ecosystems like wetlands, mosquitoes are part of the nutrient cycling process—breaking down organic matter when they’re larvae and supporting higher levels of the food chain as adults.
Mosquitoes and gnats are particularly significant food sources, especially during dawn and dusk when these insects are most active. Research has shown that a colony of barn swallows can consume over 60 million insects during a single breeding season.
