Why Some People Get Bitten By Mosquitoes More Than Others

Written by Jyotsana Rao, BE  • 

Like human beings, mosquitoes too have choices for tasty foods. Those evil little suckers do not bite everyone they come in contact with. Instead, they select their prey on the basis of certain physical factors.

Are you the one who often get munched on by mosquitoes? Guess what? You’re not alone. As per the estimation, around 22 percent of the total world’s population are especially delectable for mosquitoes.

Wondering what those factors are? Here are few of them:

1. Blood Type

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Research shows that mosquitoes find certain blood types more tempting than the others. The blood type that the mosquitoes get most attracted to is Type O. Type B falls somewhere in the middle of the range.

2. Bacteria On The Skin

The types and volume of bacteria also matter to the mosquitoes. During a study in 2011, scientists found out that mosquitoes find a few bacterias very appealing, and this might be the reason why mosquitoes are more likely to bite your ankles or foot since these areas develop robust bacteria colonies naturally.

3. Color Of Clothes

Image: Giphy

This might sound bit absurd but mosquitoes do use vision and fragrance to locate humans. Wearing dark colors such as black, blue, or red helps them locate you easily.

4. Carbon Dioxide

This is one of the key ways by which mosquitoes locate their targets. With the help of their maxillary palp, they can locate carbon dioxide from as far as 165 feet away, and they attack the people who exhale more of this gas.

5. Metabolism

Mosquitoes find the smell of lactic acid, ammonia, uric acid, and other substances that are produced via sweat very tempting. Thus, the people who exercise strenuously are the favorite victims of mosquitoes as by exercising, they increase the buildup of lactic acid and heat in the body.

6. Genetics

Genetics also play a major role in attracting mosquitoes – regardless of the fact whether it is due to blood type, body’s metabolism, or any other factor.

7. Beer

Image: Giphy

A study found that a single bottle of beer can attract insects towards you. This is because drinking beer increases the body temperature and the amount of ethanol that is excreted through sweat.

These are few factors that attract mosquitoes towards you. Here is a small piece of advice – DO NOT scratch the area where the mosquito has bitten. Scratching causes more trauma to the skin, eventually leading to inflammation.

You can get rid of those horrendous mosquitoes by applying mosquito repellent creams and by wearing light-colored clothes. Also, you must try to avoid going near bushes or in gardens after sunset as this is the time when mosquitoes are most active.

So, the next time you are getting bitten by mosquitoes, and your friends are insisting that there are really no mosquitoes around, just share this article on their wall (multiple times, if you wish!) That should take care of it once and for all! Hope you liked the article. Share your views in the comments box below.

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