FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
In any group of vacationers, there are always a few people who are covered in mosquito bites, while others seem to get almost no bites at all. What makes some people so attractive to these insects?
According to Jonathan Day, a professor of medical entomology at the University of Florida, the two main factors that attract mosquitoes are sight and smell. However, they are not the only ones. Here are seven main reasons that could make you a favorite target for mosquitoes.
1. The clothes you wear
Mosquitoes use their eyesight to find their prey, especially in the afternoon and evening hours. They are more easily attracted to people wearing dark-colored clothes, such as black and dark blue, but also to the color red.
2. Blood type
Although mosquitoes feed mainly on nectar, females need blood proteins to produce eggs.
Studies show that people with blood type O are about twice as attractive to mosquitoes as those with type A, while type B falls in between. In addition, about 85% of people secrete substances through their skin that indicate their blood type, making them even more noticeable to mosquitoes.
3. Carbon Dioxide
Mosquitoes can detect the carbon dioxide we exhale from a distance of up to 48 meters.
The more carbon dioxide a person exhales, the more visible they become to mosquitoes. For this reason, larger people, who tend to exhale more carbon dioxide, are bitten more often. This also explains why mosquitoes usually stay near the head and ears.
4. Body temperature and sweat
Mosquitoes don't just sense carbon dioxide. They can also detect lactic acid, uric acid, ammonia, and other substances released through sweat.
After physical activity, lactic acid concentration and body temperature increase, making a person more attractive to mosquitoes. Genetic factors also affect the amount of these substances secreted by the body.
5. Skin bacteria
The type and amount of bacteria that naturally live on the skin also have an impact.
Each person has a unique microbiome, which creates a characteristic odor. Studies have shown that people who attract mosquitoes more have higher concentrations of certain types of bacteria. This may also explain why mosquitoes often bite the ankles and feet, areas where bacteria accumulate the most.
6. Pregnancy
Pregnant women are among the favorite targets of some types of mosquitoes.
A study conducted in Africa found that pregnant women were twice as attractive to malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Scientists believe this is due to the fact that they exhale about 21% more air when breathing and have higher temperatures in the abdominal area.
7. Beer Beer
consumption also seems to increase the chance of getting bitten.
One study found that mosquitoes were more likely to gather around participants after drinking beer. Researchers suspect this is due to increased ethanol in sweat and higher skin temperature after drinking alcohol, although the exact mechanism is not yet fully understood.
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