Just another white-striped mosquito? A scoping review and group discussion synthesis on Aedes koreicus in Europe

Among the several Asian Aedes species that have established in Europe over recent decades, Aedes koreicus has received comparatively little research attention since its first detection in Belgium in 2008, despite its remarkable ability to colonise montane and peri‑alpine localities at elevations beyond the reach of its congener Aedes albopictus. Nearly two decades after its European detection, a systematic synthesis of the available evidence and a structured assessment of research and operational priorities are overdue. This paper presents the results of a scoping review of the scientific literature on Ae. koreicus combined with the outcomes of a multidisciplinary expert workshop held in Trento, Italy, in February 2026, which brought together 41 researchers and practitioners from six European countries with expertise in mosquito surveillance, medical entomology, genomics, ecological modelling and public health practice. Through the literature search we obtained a total of 334 articles, of which 91 were eventually included, all published after 2011. Most of the studies were carried out within Europe, focusing mostly on mosquito surveillance. Building upon the scoping review, the workshop identified key priorities for advancing knowledge and operational responses to Ae. koreicus, including strengthened surveillance in montane and lowland areas, improved characterisation of its vector competence and competitive interactions with co-occurring Aedes species, and more effective communication strategies for engaging the public and citizen scientists in monitoring efforts.