Reason Why Mosquitoes Bite Some People More Than Others | EXPLAINED

If you feel like mosquitoes bite you more than others, you might be right. Studies show that about 20% of people are very attractive to mosquitoes. They might bite you more because of your blood type, the clothes you wear, how you breathe, or the bacteria on your skin. A multitude of factors influence a mosquito's decision to bite some people more than other.
Only female mosquitoes bite because they need the protein in the blood to produce eggs. Male mosquitoes feed on nectar for their nourishment.

Mosquitoes Prefer Certain Blood Types
Mosquitoes are attracted to some blood types more than others. Research shows that:
•    The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) prefers Type O blood.
•    The marsh mosquito (Anopheles gambiae) is drawn to Type AB blood.
Additionally, about 80% of people produce a secretion that indicates their blood type. Mosquitoes may bite these people more often, regardless of their blood type.

Mosquitoes Attracts Carbon Dioxide
Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide from far away. The more you exhale, the more attractive you are to them. Larger people exhale more carbon dioxide, so they tend to get bitten more. Since carbon dioxide is exhaled through the nose and mouth, mosquitoes are especially drawn to your head. Mosquitoes can see humans from 5 to 15 meters (about 16 to 49 feet) away, making it easy for them to find you.

Mosquitoes Seek Body Heat:
Female mosquitoes are attracted to body heat and will fly toward people even if other heat sources are available. This means you might get more bites if you exercise outside, go out on hot days, or naturally have a higher body temperature.

Mosquitoes Like Sweat
Mosquitoes are attracted to human sweat because they can detect compounds like lactic acid and ammonia in it. If you sweat a lot or spend time outdoors on hot days, you're more likely to get mosquito bites because of this attraction to sweat.

Mosquitoes Prefer Certain Skin Bacteria
Your skin naturally hosts a lot of tiny organisms. When these bacteria mix with sweat, they create a specific scent.

Research suggests that the types and quantity of bacteria on your skin can influence how attractive you are to mosquitoes. For instance, one study found that people highly attractive to mosquitoes had a larger community of microbes, although it was less diverse compared to those less attractive to mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes may be particularly drawn to ankles and feet because these areas tend to have higher bacterial activity.

Pregnant Women Are Mosquito Magnets
Interestingly, some mosquito species are attracted to pregnant people. Although there isn't extensive research on this, a study in Africa in 2000 discovered that twice as many mosquitoes were drawn to pregnant individuals compared to non-pregnant ones. This attraction might be due to a couple of reasons:
Carbon dioxide: Pregnant individuals exhale about 21% more breath volume in late pregnancy compared to non-pregnant people.
Heat: The abdomens of pregnant individuals are approximately one degree warmer than those of non-pregnant individuals.

Beer Drinkers Get More Bug Bites
In a study, researchers discovered that significantly more mosquitoes were attracted to study participants who had consumed one liter of beer compared to those who had consumed one liter of water. The exact reason for this increase is still uncertain. Researchers did not find a correlation between alcohol consumption and factors like carbon dioxide exhalation or skin temperature, which are typically associated with mosquito attraction.

Mosquitoes May Be Drawn to Your Diet
Folk wisdom says what you eat may make you a tastier meal for mosquitoes. In particular, eating sweet, salty, spicy, or potassium-rich foods is believed to attract more mosquitoes. While the research is limited, the scientists identified one food that fits this phenomenon: bananas. A study published in the journal Insects found eating a banana increases the frequency of contact with mosquitoes and bug bites.

Darker Clothes Are Easier for Them to Spot
Mosquitoes use their eyes to target victims. Research shows that mosquitoes gravitate more toward green and black surfaces than toward white or grey surfaces, suggesting that it's easier for them to see these colors.

Useful Techniques to Keep Away Mosquito Bites

• Although you can do nothing about your genetic material, you can still take steps to prevent the existence of mosquitoes. The CDC also advocates these measures:
• Wearing long sleeves and pants, particularly treated with 0.2% permethrin.
• Using insect repellents with DEET or oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) and reapplying as directed.
• Installing window screens and air conditioning.
• Getting rid of the standing water where mosquitoes breed, such as in birdbaths, pools, buckets, and flower pots. 

Knowing why mosquitoes are feeling attracted to you can help you take the right steps to avoid their bites and thus, lower the chances of being infected with mosquito-borne diseases.