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It’s been known for a year that mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide emitted from breathing mammals. However, it’s been suggested and observed that mosquitoes tend to swarm some people while leaving other people mostly alone. Now there is scientific evidence to back up this claim. Well, we should say “more evidence” anyway. That’s because last year we published an article which stated that mosquitoes are attracted to people with faster metabolisms.
A field experiment in Zambia was able to prove that certain types of body odor is also a determining factor in attracting mosquitoes. The experiment had six different humans sleeping in tents around a center area filled with mosquitoes. Air from each person’s tent was pumped into different sections of the center area. Using infrared technology the researchers were able to study where the mosquitoes went most.
As it turns out, mosquitoes were more attracted to the body odor of people who had less of a chemical called Eucalyptol. This chemical is derived from plant-based foods and flavorings. The more a person emitted this chemical the less likely the mosquitoes would be attracted to them.
This may be yet even another reason why you should eat more veggies. As we already know, eating vegetables everyday is great for your body including your digestion system, blood, hair, nails, just about everything you can think of. Now we know they also aid in making us less attractive to bloodthirsty mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes are most active in the few hours before and after midnight. This is when the female mosquito needs blood in order to create new eggs. The eggs will then be laid in water. We have published many articles in the past on how to prevent mosquitoes from thriving around your home.
We hope this and other research will help us fight this annoying and most deadly pest. Eradicating the mosquito may not be an option but learning how to repel them and avoid them is definitely worth the time and energy needed to do so.
image from jhu.edu
