They weigh only 2.5 milligrams and yet, every year they manage to ruin our evenings and our summer nights. They are mosquitoes.
And what we find really cruel on their part, apart from the fact that they leave us alone a lot of unsightly pimples and the itching that go with it, is that these blood suckers always attack us and not to others! But why so much injustice?
- Children are less victims of mosquitoes than adults
Adults emit more CO2 by breathing because of their size. Problem: CO2 is a mosquito magnet.
Thanks to their maxillary palp, they can detect carbon dioxide and are able to feel it more than 50 meters away. Similarly, obese people are prime targets because they also release more CO2.
- Blood type O is more appetizing for mosquitoes
In 2004, a Japanese study showed that the tiger mosquito was more attracted to blood group O than to other blood groups.
According to these researchers, group O humans have close to 85% "chances" of attracting mosquitoes, against less than 45% for others.
The reason ? The skin secretes chemicals indicating the type of blood group.
- They are attracted to particular genes
A study conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on "real" and "false" twins showed that identical twins were exposed to mosquitoes in the same way, while others were not equal in their assaults .
"According to this comparison, 67% of the differences between people are due to their genes (what has been called heritability)," says an article published by Theconversation.com in 2016.
- Hot bodies attract them more
Mosquitoes love the smell of lactic acid, uric acid, ammonia and other chemicals released by sweat.
They are therefore attracted to people with high body temperature.
After a workout, during a tanning session in the sun or at night in case of high heat, sweat may attract them because it emits chemical substances.
- Bacteria are mosquito nests
A study published in 2011 on malaria proves it: skins containing a large amount of bacteria are more likely to attract mosquitoes.
Provided that these bacteria are not too different. Indeed, a great diversity of bacteria does not attract mosquitoes.
That is, our ankles and feet, which are colonies of sturdy bacteria, attract insect bites more easily than other parts of the body.
- Beer drinkers are potential targets
Who says vacation, says aperitif. Want a little beer on the terrace?
Warning ! Drinking a can of 33 centilitres of beer would attract mosquitoes: according to a scientific study, it increases the rate of ethanol in sweat and thus body temperature.
- Pregnant women are twice as stung
Pregnant women will have to undergo mosquito attacks while waiting for their happy event.
Indeed, they would attract twice as many mosquitoes as women who are not pregnant.
The reason ? They emit 21% more carbon dioxide than others and have a higher body temperature.
- Dark clothes challenge them
According to a study published by the University of Florida, colors that retain heat are targeted primarily by mosquitoes.
A black or navy blue outfit will attract these critters more than a set of white linen.
Sources:
www.mosquito.org
www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/16/bad-buzz-mosquitoes-love-beer-drinkers-study
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1127358
journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0122716
theconversation.com/pourquoi-les-moustiques-ciblent-certaines-personnes-et-pas-dautres-62712
