Ask An Entomologist: Mosquito Attraction
September 12th, 2007 by Kelley
Dani:
I am incredibly irresistible, it seems, to the blood sucking type of insects. If I’m in a group of people, and we’re walking through the woods, I’ll come out with about 5 to 10 bug bites, and others will have none or very few. Also, the bug bites swell much more than others’. Is this a genetic issue?
Well first, yes, genetics do play a large role. People who have higher levels of cholesterol, steroids, and other acids have been shown to be more attractive to blood feeders. You can check out this link for more on that. The fact that you are reacting to the bites more than others is also genetic and has to do with how your body is responding to the saliva that the mosquitoes are pumping into you.
There are a lot of other factors that render a person in a group more attractive than others. The first is the level of carbon dioxide given off by a person. Once the little buggers get in close enough they begin to rely on other cues. They are attracted to dark colors, so clothes play a role. Thermal gradients, odors from sweat and the microflora on your skin, and apparently even the foods you eat affect how attractive you are to a mosquito.
The mosquitoes eat my 13 year old daughter alive! Her legs are a mess in summer even when using deet, we all sit on the patio and she will be covered with bites and the rest of us unaffected. It becomes a problem because she can’t resist scratching. We do the best we can with Benadryl after the fact. I am worried about the diseases the moquitoes carry so I keep looking for a solution…..thanks for more info on an ongoing problem for us! Love your blog!
I’m one of the ‘lucky’ ones that gets bitten a LOT. And they swell to ginormous proportions. Then three days later, just when you think they’re going away, the itch factor goes way up AGAIN.
I hate wearing DEET, but it’s just a necessity for me.
Hello
I would never use any pesticides, I stick to Natural Mosquito Repellent or traps, I buy my at http://www.mosquitorepellent.EU if some are interested, I know they also look for retailers if some wants to sell there repellents or trap.
well thats just my opinion, have a great day.
P.s I dont recomend DEET, but it do work.