Female mosquitoes feed on the blood of humans and other animals to obtain nutrients essential for reproduction. They use their sense of smell, touch, and sight to select hosts, with some species being more discerning. Dengue-carrying mosquitoes can transmit viruses to healthy individuals through their bites.

Carbon dioxide release

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the primary signals mosquitoes detect before approaching humans, released with each breath. Mosquitoes can detect CO2 from a distance of up to 9 m. Individuals who exhale more CO2, have a high metabolic rate, are larger in stature, are pregnant, or have recently exercised tend to attract more mosquitoes. Following this, mosquitoes use visual cues to focus on their target.

Clothing color

Clothing affects a mosquito's ability to identify and bite people. Once CO2 is detected, mosquitoes search for high-contrast colors to easily identify a host. They are attracted to long wavelengths and dark colors. In contrast, light-colored clothing offers less contrast against the sky, helping you avoid mosquitoes while keeping cool. Therefore, choosing light-colored clothing and fabrics that cover the body is a simple way to reduce the risk of mosquito bites.

Body temperature

Individuals who consume alcohol, have recently exercised, are pregnant, or are overweight tend to attract more mosquitoes due to changes in skin chemistry, body temperature, metabolism, and hormones. Beyond CO2 and visual cues, a high body temperature is a key factor enabling mosquitoes to locate blood vessels near the skin when approaching a host.

Blood type

Individuals with different blood types possess specific proteins (antigens) on the surface of their red blood cells. There are 4 main blood types: A (only A antigen), B (only B antigen), AB (both A and B), and O (neither A nor B antigens). Some individuals also secrete these antigens in bodily fluids like saliva or tears, known as "secretors." For example, people with blood type A secrete A antigens, while those with type O secrete H antigens, which are precursors to A and B. Mosquitoes appear to be more attracted to individuals with blood type O than those with other blood types.

Body odor

If you are bitten more often than others, it might be due to your body odor attracting them. Several factors influence body odor's appeal to mosquitoes:

Skin compounds: Compounds like ammonia and lactic acid make some individuals more attractive to mosquitoes.

Skin bacteria: Individuals with a high quantity of bacteria but less diversity, especially odor-producing bacteria like staphylococcus, are often bitten more frequently.

Genetics: Mosquitoes are more attracted to the scent on the hands of identical twins compared to fraternal twins.

By Bao Bao (According to Very Well Health, Times of India)