4 Surprising Reasons Mosquitoes Attack You

2. Your body odor

Recent research into mosquito preferences reveals that your particular scent also plays an important role.

“The sense of smell is something a lot of people don’t think about much, but for mosquitoes it’s first on their mind, and that is how they hunt us down and figure out their preferred target,” says Matthew DeGennaro, an associate professor in biological sciences at Florida International University who studies mosquito genetics and behavior.

Most of your natural body odor comes from your skin, and it’s created by a blend of many organic compounds. Scientists are working to determine which ones attract and repel different insect types.

For example, in a study published in October 2022 in the journal Cell, Rockefeller University researchers determined that people who had higher levels of a chemical compound called carboxylic acid are 100 times more attractive to one type of mosquito than those with lower levels.

DeGennaro says his lab is also examining which compounds in natural body odors attract mosquitoes.  “What we’re finding is that people have different sets of microbes on their skin that cause them to produce slightly different odors, and different species of mosquitoes prefer different types of odors,” DeGennaro says.

3. Your breath

Mosquitoes have nerve cells that detect carbon dioxide, which is emitted every time we exhale. They can detect the presence of carbon dioxide from more than 30 feet away.

Some people, such as larger adults, naturally emit more carbon dioxide than smaller adults or children, making them easier for mosquitoes to hunt down.

One study showed that pregnant women, who produce over 20 percent more carbon dioxide, are bitten twice as often as those who aren’t pregnant.  

4.  Your beer habit

A cold beer might sound pretty good on a hot day, but it may increase your chances of being bitten.

A small study published in the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association found that drinking a single beer increased mosquito attraction.

In another study, French researchers also found that mosquitoes preferred study participants who drank a beer compared to those who drank a glass of water.

Scientists aren’t sure if beer changes your body odor, if it increases your body temperature or if there is some other reason it attracts mosquitoes, but it’s a good idea to apply some repellent before you grab a pint at an outdoor event. Do the little blood suckers like wine and mojitos as well? Apparently, studies haven't been done yet to see whether other types of alcohol entice them in for human happy hour.

How to protect yourself

If you find yourself covered in welts whenever you spend time outside, experts say staying in screened areas and using mosquito repellent are the best ways to prevent bites.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says mosquito repellents with the following chemicals are safe and effective: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol or 2-undecanone.

DeGennaro, who has studied repellents, says DEET is still the gold standard, followed by picaridin. “Deet tends to last a little longer than (the others) and it’s stronger,” he says.

Experts stressed that preventing mosquitoes isn’t just about avoiding a nuisance. With malaria cases popping up in Florida and Texas in 2023, it’s also about avoiding disease.

“Female mosquitoes are hard-wired to bite for survival of their species,” Winegard says. “They are going to do their best to find your blood.”