The question that everyone asks is “do mosquitoes really prefer to bite some people over others? And why?”
Experts have finally found some answers to this dilemma.
Jerry Butler, professor emeritus at the University of Florida, told WebMD that “one in 10 people are highly attractive to mosquitoes.”
Form the same research, another estimate suggests that 20 percent, or one in five people, are mosquito magnets, proving the claim that some people are more attractive to the pesky insects than others. But the reason why remains a bit of a mystery.
Several myths out there are used as explanations, including the assertion that mosquitoes prefer blondes. However, in reality, mosquito preference doesn’t seem to have anything to do with hair color, blood sugar levels, floral perfumes or many of the other factors we’ve heard rumors about.
According to Janet McAllister, an entomologist in the Division of Vector-Born Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “different mosquito species have different cues for being attracted,” as she told The Huffington Post.
It’s worth noting that male mosquitoes don’t feed on human blood.
Scientists still don’t know exactly what attracts female mosquitoes to some and not others, but there are some observed patterns.
Here are a few signs you might be a prime target:
You’re Big
Bigger people produce more carbon dioxide and if there’s one thing that will lure a mosquito from a great distance, it’s a big cloud of CO2.
You Just Exercised
Mosquitoes find lactic acid alluring and if you’ve just worked out, chances are you’ve got some building up in your muscles.
You Have A Fast Metabolism
Mosquitoes enjoy a bit of cholesterol in their meals. People who metabolize cholesterol quickly — not those who have higher cholesterol blood levels — may attract mosquitoes because byproducts of that metabolization are present on the skin, reported WebMD.
You Smell — To Them
Acetone and estradiol released in your breath and many of the compounds and bacteria found on your skin contribute to your attractiveness. Scientists believe that some people may give off stronger scents than others, even though everyone produces these compounds.