“Why me?” It is often said when a mosquito and not next door bite a person. It is that blood type, metabolism, physical exercise, clothing color, and even beer consumption can make some people especially attractive to mosquitoes. The truth is that in an outdoor meeting during a summer night, often people present, two will end up much more stung than the rest. And it will not have to do with that they have forgotten to apply repellent. But why is that so? Let’s check it out in this article!
It is estimated that 20% of people are incredibly “delicious” to mosquitoes. And while scientists still don’t have a cure for these pesky bites, other than preventing them with repellent, there are several ideas as to why some mortals are more prone to stings than others. These insects depend on carbon dioxide to find their hosts and, as you were taught in school, we all expel this component, leaving specific ‘trails’ that the mosquitoes follow to find us and finally do what they set out to do, bite us.
All species of mosquitoes are attracted to body odor. The more intense the smell, the more likely we are to get bitten. Mosquitoes have their olfactory systems on their antennae. These systems are responsible for smelling these compounds, so the mosquito will be tempted to bite. And with a highly developed sense of smell, its stinging action is intensified.
People who consume alcohol regularly eliminate certain biochemicals through sweat that are also very attractive to mosquitoes, so they will also be more prone to being bitten. People with certain blood groups can also be visited more frequently by mosquitoes. The most attractive for them is group 0, group B, and group A negative.
There are other types of people who are also going to be more prone to being bitten by mosquitoes:
- Athletes who exercise outdoors;
- Pregnant women in the last trimester of gestation, as they exhale more carbon dioxide;
- People who wear dark colors like black and red;
- Places where there are citrus odors or floral perfumes
Mosquito bites; why do they bite so much?
When the mosquito bites a person, it introduces two small tubes into the skin :
- One of them serves to suck our blood.
- Another allows him to inject us with a substance that prevents the blood from clotting in the wound before we have finished sipping. This substance that the mosquito injects into us is what causes our body to release histamine.
The itch is due to the reaction of our body to the bite. Each body reacts differently despite being bitten by the same mosquito. We must wash the area with soap and water and apply an antihistamine ointment in any case. As far as possible, avoid scratching since, otherwise, histamine production increases, and itching is greater. If the swelling is very pronounced, we should apply a little ice or cold water compresses. If it does not improve in a few days, it is necessary to go to the doctor so that the specialist prescribes a more suitable antihistamine treatment.
How to prevent mosquitoes from biting us?
Mosquito nets: installing this mesh type on the windows can be one of the most effective measures. The pores of the mosquito nets must measure 1.2 x 1.2 millimeters to prevent mosquitoes from entering. Mosquito nets can be sprayed with insecticide to increase protection further.
Plugs and vaporizers are among the most common measures. They are liquid deposits that heat up and cause the evaporation of odors that annoy mosquitoes.
Spray repellents or anti-mosquito bracelets: there is a wide variety of them that we can use depending on our current market needs.
We can also use very effective natural remedies that serve as repellants against mosquito bites. Garlic, vinegar, or aromatic plants such as rosemary, mosquito geranium, citronella, eucalyptus, thyme, or basil repel these insects. Finally, it is highly recommended not to use sweet smells, especially in creams and colognes, and to wear light-colored clothes.
