There is strong evidence that we all differ in our attractiveness to biting mosquitoes. They are firstly attracted by the carbon dioxide we exhale. Body heat plays a role in attraction too. But while mosquitoes may bite us to get a feed of blood, our blood itself doesn’t seem to influence who they bite.
Odours produced by our skin may attract or repel mosquitoes. Although studies have suggested that mosquitoes are more attracted to individuals with Type O blood, the results are far from conclusive. The trend isn’t likely to be consistent for all mosquito species either and it certainly isn’t only those people with Type O blood that get bitten.
Odours produced by microbes on our skin have been shown to attract mosquitoes – and there can be quite a cocktail of smells emanating from us. More than 300 chemical compounds have been identified from human skin and the abundance of some of these can vary on a daily basis. Differences in the attractiveness of individuals to mosquitoes may be explained by differences in the abundance and diversity of these microbes.
Keep in mind that not all these compounds will attract mosquitoes. Some will actually reduce the likelihood of being bitten.
So what does this all mean for those wanting to be less attractive to mosquitoes?
Odours produced by our skin may attract or repel mosquitoes. Although studies have suggested that mosquitoes are more attracted to individuals with Type O blood, the results are far from conclusive. The trend isn’t likely to be consistent for all mosquito species either and it certainly isn’t only those people with Type O blood that get bitten.
Odours produced by microbes on our skin have been shown to attract mosquitoes – and there can be quite a cocktail of smells emanating from us. More than 300 chemical compounds have been identified from human skin and the abundance of some of these can vary on a daily basis. Differences in the attractiveness of individuals to mosquitoes may be explained by differences in the abundance and diversity of these microbes.
Keep in mind that not all these compounds will attract mosquitoes. Some will actually reduce the likelihood of being bitten.
So what does this all mean for those wanting to be less attractive to mosquitoes?
Your new post is loading...
