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May 9, 2019Mosquitoes

What Attracts Mosquitoes to Humans?

There’s nothing worse than getting a mosquito bite. They’re itchy, painful, and they make you want to hide away inside forever. It can be tough to actually enjoy the outdoors with mosquitoes looming over you just waiting to grab a bite to eat. The best way to keep yourself protected from becoming a delicious entree is to understand what attracts mosquitoes to your body.

Here are 4 things that could be making you a mosquito’s next target:

Clothing Color

Mosquitoes have pretty strong eyesight for being such a tiny insect – it might help that they have two types of eyes. But even mosquitoes with 20/20 vision have a hard time detecting light colored clothing from far away. White or beige shirts are your best bet for surviving mosquito season. The harder you are for a mosquito to see, the less of a chance you have of getting bitten. Next time you think about leaving the house dressed in navy blue during the middle of mosquito season, think again.  

Fragrances

Fragrances, both good and bad, are known to attract mosquitoes. It’s almost a lose-lose situation. If you smell good, you get bitten. If you smell bad, you get bitten. The best way to keep yourself from getting bit is to aim for a more ‘nautral’ smell. To do this, avoid using scented laundry detergents, drink lots of water to dilute any funky smells, and use odorless deodorant/shampoo.

Sweat

Sweat is one of the top mosquito attractors. This is because mosquitoes need water to reproduce, and are naturally attracted to areas with higher humidity levels. Ever wonder why it always seems like you get bitten on your feet, ankles, wrists, and hands? It’s because those are the sweatiest areas of our body!

Blood Type

According to a 2004 study, you are twice as likely to get bitten by a mosquito if you have blood type O over blood type A. While humans can only determine blood type through complicated tests, mosquitoes are able to sense your blood type based on substances secreted from your body. We don’t know if you’d classify mosquitoes as having superpowers or not, but being able to tell blood type just by touching you is pretty impressive.

Now that you know a few things that attract mosquitoes, you can take some extra precautions to prevent yourself from being a walking buffet this mosquito season. Even if you have blood type A, shower regularly, and wear white shirts all year long, you still could get bitten. The best way to ensure you stay bite-free? Getting a mosquito treatment for your home.

At Bug House, we offer two different mosquito treatments to meet your needs. If you’re not sure what you need, reach out to use here to schedule your free in-home inspection.