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Mosquitos in Scotland: Friend and foe?
When
Saturday 12 September 2026
18:00 - 19:00
Where
The Royal Society of Edinburgh
22-26 George St, Edinburgh EH2 2PQ
View directions on Google Maps
Format
Hybrid
Access
Hearing loop, Wheelchair access, Wheelchair accessible toilets
Age
Suitable for ages 16+
Cost
Free to book
About this event
With mosquito-borne diseases expanding across Europe, what should we know?
Did you know that Scotland is home to a surprising diversity of mosquitos?
Join Professor Heather Ferguson to learn about new research exploring their ecology, distribution and potential to transmit disease. Drawing on findings from the Mosquito Scotland project, you’ll hear how environmental change could influence the risk of mosquito-borne diseases in Scotland. Professor Ferguson will also share key insights from a nationwide citizen-science reporting scheme, which captured Scotland’s experiences with mosquitoes throughout the country.
As climate change enables some mosquito species to expand into northern Europe, taking their pathogens with them, the questions around Scotland’s mosquitos is becoming increasingly important.
The talk will also examine the history of malaria transmission in Scotland, the mosquito species found here today, and what current research tells us about the potential for other diseases such as West Nile virus and Usutu virus.
Before and after this session, attendees can see caged live adult mosquitoes (that can’t escape) and view several of their life stages (eggs, larvae, pupae, and dead adults) up close using a handheld microscope!
If you’re curious about Scotland’s wildlife, interested in public health or wondering why mosquitoes seem to be appearing in new places in Scotland, then come find out more.
Event type
Curious
Talk
Contributors
Professor Heather M. Ferguson FRSE
Professor of Medical Entomology and Infectious Disease Ecology, School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of GlasgowProfessor Heather M. Ferguson FRSE is a public health entomologist known for her research on mosquito vectors of malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases, and emerging diseases in Europe. Her work focuses on mosquito behaviour and ecology, with the aim of improving surveillance and control of vector‑borne diseases. This includes research on how mosquitoes respond to interventions and environmental change. Much of her research is conducted in partnership with the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania, where she is a visiting scientist. She has collaborated widely with teams in Kenya, Burkina Faso, the Philippines, Malaysia, Ecuador, Colombia, and the United Kingdom. She currently leads Mosquito Scotland, the first multidisciplinary One Health programme assessing how climate change may influence the establishment of mosquito‑borne diseases in Scotland. She has advised the World Health Organization on vector‑borne diseases for over a decade and serves as Chair of the Strategic Technical Advisory Group on Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Professor Sarah Reece
Chair of Evolutionary Parasitology, University of EdinburghSarah Reece’s research sits at the interface of parasitology and evolutionary ecology, motivated by the questions of “what makes parasites so successful” and “what limits their success”? She investigates the strategies that parasites have evolved to maximise their survival and transmission. Her research focuses on malaria parasites, which cause some of the most serious infectious diseases of humans, livestock, and wildlife. There is a great deal of research into the genetics, cellular and molecular biology, and immunology of these parasites, but conspicuously less from whole-organism perspectives. Consequently, malaria parasites persist despite efforts to eradicate them and the diseases they cause.
Contact us
If you have an event enquiry, please email us on public_engagement@theRSE.org.uk.Event testimonial
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What is Curious?
Curious is the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s (RSE) free festival that celebrates the research, ideas and knowledge shaping society today.
Each year, Curious brings a packed programme of free in-person and online events covering themes from the arts, humanities, policy, science and more. To date, we’ve welcomed over 10,000 attendees for talks, workshops, exhibitions and discussions where you can learn from and speak with Scotland’s leading thinkers. As part of the RSE’s mission to make knowledge useful and accessible for everyone, Curious is open to anyone who wants to learn more about the world around them. No specialist knowledge is needed, just bring your curiosity.
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