Why mosquitoes love some people more
Some people seem to have a magical attraction to mosquitoes. The general explanation for this phenomenon has been for decades: "You certainly have sweet blood." In fact, this assumption can not be proven scientifically. On the other hand, it has been proven that (among other things) the body odor is decisive for whether the bloodsuckers settle on the skin.
Who do mosquitoes fly for?
However, this does not mean that people who have an unpleasant body odor, are stung frequently. Rather, the composition of the body's own odor determines whether the mosquito flies on you or not. Researchers from the United Kingdom and the United States have also shown that genes are involved in the risk of mosquito bites. The study was conducted using 18 monozygotic and 19 dizygotic twins. The evaluation showed that identical twins were similarly popular with mosquitoes. In contrast, dizygotic twins were differently popular.
In addition to the genes, other factors also play a role. For example, pregnant women should be stung more often than other women. And even people with elevated body temperature seem to be particularly attractive to mosquitoes. It surrounds a light airflow, which is crucial for the bloodsucker.
How to protect yourself from mosquitoes
There are numerous ways to protect yourself from the annoying mosquito bites. Here are some suggestions:
- Attach mosquito nets: The mesh size should be less than one millimeter.
- Long, light clothing: Make sure that the clothes are not too tight, so that the mosquitoes can not pierce.
- Candles: Burning the candle produces carbon dioxide? and that distracts the insects from their preferred target. A fragrance lamp should also ward off.
- Fragrance-free: Floral fragrances of fabric softener and perfumes attract mosquitoes.
- Showers: Especially after sports, because the smell of sweat also attracts bloodsuckers.
- Avoid standing waters: These are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
