Why You're A Mosquito Magnet
If you’ve ever felt like a mosquito magnet, while your friends are totally ignored, you might be right. Female mosquitoes —which are the only ones that actually suck blood— favor some people more than others. In his book, THE MOSQUITO, Timothy Winegard explores what factors make you so attractive, including your blood type, what deodorant you might be using, and even if you’re a beer-drinker! For more, visit: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/576149/the-mosquito-by-timothy-c-winegard/ MORE ANIMAL SCIENCE CONTENT: The Bugs That Lay Eggs In Your Face https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mPpPF1dTxk&t=1s Why Fruit Flies Are So Hard To Kill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O9K3TdejJs&t=13s Here's What's Inside Your Dirty Sheets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJVlwuWvhFk ------------------------------------------------------ #Mosquito #Insects #ScienceInsider Science Insider tells you all you need to know about science: space, medicine, biotech, physiology, and more. Visit us at: https://www.businessinsider.com Science Insider on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsiderScience/ Science Insider on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/science_insider/ Business Insider on Twitter: https://twitter.com/businessinsider Tech Insider on Twitter: https://twitter.com/techinsider Business Insider/Tech Insider on Amazon Prime: http://read.bi/PrimeVideo Why You're a Mosquito Magnet
Why You're A Mosquito Magnet
Understanding Mosquitoes
This transcript explains the factors that make humans attractive to mosquitoes and how they choose their targets.
Factors that Attract Mosquitoes
- There are persistent myths about what attracts mosquitoes, but there is no truth to them.
- Blood type O seems to be the most attractive blood type for mosquitoes. People with higher levels of certain chemicals in their skin, particularly lactic acid, also seem to be more attractive.
- Being pungently rancid increases bacteria levels on the skin, which makes you less alluring to mosquitoes. On the other hand, deodorants, perfumes, soaps and other applied fragrances attract mosquitoes.
- Mosquitoes are attracted by bright colors since they hunt by both sight and smell.
How Mosquitoes Choose Their Targets
- Mosquitoes can smell carbon dioxide from over 200 feet away. When you exercise or breathe heavily, you emit more carbon dioxide which makes you more attractive to mosquitoes. Pregnant women suffer twice as many bites because they respire 20% more carbon dioxide and have a marginally elevated body temperature.
- The mosquito is attracted by certain chemicals released through sweat such as lactic acid. Your body temperature rising is an easily identifiable heat signature for your soon-to-be tormentor.
- Unfortunately, 85% of what makes you attractive to mosquitoes is prewired in your genetic circuit board.
Overall this transcript provides insights into why some people get bitten by mosquitos more than others. It highlights that being pungently rancid can actually help reduce mosquito bites while wearing bright colors should be avoided since it attracts them.