Biblical plague of mosquitoes strikes as tourists left hiding in their cars

Visitors to a Russian lake were forced to hide inside their cars after an enormous swarm of mosquitoes descended, clouding the sky with sheer numbers.

The phenomenon occurred at Lake Shchuchye in Russia's Buryatia region, where a peaceful scenic excursion quickly spiralled into a nightmare as vast clouds of biting insects engulfed the area.

Footage captured at the scene shows the sheer density of mosquitoes, with witnesses describing scenes reminiscent of a biblical plague.

The holidaymakers sought shelter in their cars, waiting desperately for the swarm to clear before eventually giving up and heading home.

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The disturbing footage was met with reactions across social media, with one viewer commenting: "This year there are a lot of mosquitoes everywhere, but I've never seen anything like this before."

Another user drew comparisons to a different pest entirely, writing: "Terrible like locusts."

The scale of the infestation appeared to shock even those accustomed to Russia's notorious mosquito populations.

Entomologists, who study insects, have indicated the exceptional activity is expected to continue until next week, offering little immediate relief for those in the affected area.

Authorities have responded by urging both local residents and tourists to use insect repellents, and to wear protective clothing when venturing outdoors.

However, a recent study suggests DEET-based products may actually have the opposite effect, potentially drawing mosquitoes towards users rather than repelling them.

Unfortunately, the swarms are more than just an itchy nuisance, as Russia’s Kursk region has been plagued by dirofilariasis - a mosquito-borne disease characterised by roundworms that migrate beneath the skin.

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The mosquitoes pick up these hitchhikers by feeding on infected dogs and cats before biting humans, who are forced to undergo surgery to remove them.

This isn’t the first time Russia has been besieged by a mosquito swarm of this scale.

In 2021, millions of mosquitoes descended upon the Kamchatka Peninsula alongside the Bering Sea, forming "insect tornadoes".

In October last year, British health authorities were forced to act after two species of fatal disease-carrying mosquitoes were identified in the UK.

The different mosquito species are known for carrying several diseases, including yellow fever, dengue, Zika, dirofilariasis and chikungunya, which had a large outbreak in China last year.

Aedes aegypti, better known as the Egyptian mosquito, and Aedes albopictus, known as the (Asian) tiger or forest mosquito, have historically both been restricted to subtropical and tropical regions.

However, eggs from the Egyptian mosquito were found in a freight storage facility near Heathrow Airport in London in September 2023, while tiger mosquitoes were identified at a motorway service station in Kent in August 2024.

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