Did You Know the Beer You Are Drinking Makes You Attractive to Mosquitoes?
Do you ever find yourself wondering why do mosquitos bite some people more than others, or what attracts mosquitoes in the first place? Here at SWAT Mosquito Systems®️ we too are curious as to why do mosquitoes bite some people and not others but, more importantly, we are pioneering technology that will prevent mosquitos from biting any of us at all! There has been a lot of research devoted to uncovering why do some people attract mosquitoes, and it turns out there are a lot of contributing factors. Keep reading to learn how mosquitoes are attracted to blood type, the mosquito beer relationship, and other reasons these pests may be landing on you while leaving your friends alone!
Why do some people attract mosquitoes? Mosquitos are attracted to blood type!
According to a 2004 study trying to link blood type to mosquito bites, a person’s blood type does indeed have an impact on these pesky insects. For the vast majority of humans, our blood type is expressed through a chemical on our skin – not so coincidentally where most mosquitos land when they are looking for blood. This study found that those with Type O blood are twice as attractive to mosquitos than people with Type A, and Type B blood holders are somewhere in between. Other genetic factors also play into why some of us seem more attractive to mosquitos than others. Unfortunately we have no control over this and, because mosquitos are attracted to blood type, you may be more or less predisposed to perpetually swatting at these insects on warm summer nights.
What attracts mosquitoes? Put down that mosquito beer magnet and keep reading!
Many of us love to spend nice evenings on the back porch sipping a refreshing beer or cocktail. Unfortunately for us, mosquitos just may love that too. The findings of a small study showed that participants who had recently drank as little as one beer were proving more attractive to mosquitos than the sober volunteers. Scientists are still working on correlations for this but, for now, it looks like humans aren’t the only ones that follow the mantra “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.”
Other answers to the question: Why do mosquitoes bite some people more than others?
While blood type and beer seem to be plausible answers for those wondering what attracts mosquitoes, there are many other contributing factors as well. It has been shown that mosquitos can smell some of the compounds in sweat and are attracted to higher temperatures, making devoted exercisers a big target for mosquitos. These insects can also smell carbon dioxide nearly 170 feet away, so those exhaling more often or with more volume will be quickly identified by mosquito radar. Finally, mosquitos also have pretty strong vision for a small insect and, because of this, clothing is another answer to the eternal question of why do mosquitos bite some people and not others. Dark colors make an individual stand out from the natural greens and earth tones of the surrounding area, and mosquitos will notice this and buzz toward the anomaly on the landscape.
From genetic factors to the drinks we drink and clothing we wear, mosquitos have plenty of ways to pick favorites as they buzz around potential victims. This short post has hopefully helped answer your question of why do mosquitos bite some people and not others. Our suggestion? Explore the options that SWAT Mosquito Systems®️ has to offer to deter these pesky insects from coming onto your property in the first place!
Resources
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/16/bad-buzz-mosquitoes-love-beer-drinkers-study/
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/things-make-mosquito-magnet/story?id=24676818#3