On certain days in summer, large swarms of emergent aquatic insects, like mosquitos, can be seen and felt when walking around Lake Kilpisjärvi and the other smaller lakes and ponds in the Kilpisjärvi area. Although mosquitos may be a nuisance to humans, they and other emergent aquatic insects can be an important temporary energy and nutrient source for birds and spiders in the surrounding area.
In 2022, a group of international researchers travelled to Kilpisjärvi to learn more about emergent aquatic insects in polar ponds. Studying aquatic insects emerging from polar ecosystems is particularly important now, as warming temperatures may affect when and how many aquatic insects emerge from the aquatic ecosystems in polar regions. Such changes would have unprecedented effects on the connection between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Learn more about the topic on the homepages of the researchers investigating emergent aquatic insects in polar ponds.