Why do mosquitoes prefer to bite you? Turns out that red is more attractive

We look forward to the hot summer days, but we hate annoying mosquitoes. What kind of people do mosquitoes like to bite? This is a question that scientists have been working on. A new study recently published in the journal Nature Communications shows that a common mosquito, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, flies to specific colors, including red, orange, black and cyan, when detecting human breath. The researchers believe the findings help explain how mosquitoes find a host, because human skin, regardless of overall level of pigmentation, sends a strong orange-red "signal" to mosquito eyes.

"There are three main factors that attract mosquitoes: human breathing, sweat and skin temperature. In this study, we found a fourth clue: red. This color can be found not only on your clothes, but also on everyone's skin. Jeffrey River, a professor of biology at the University of Illinois and senior author of the study, said, "It doesn't matter what your skin color is, because each of us is sending a strong red signal." Filter out this seductive color in your skin, or avoid wearing these colors of clothing, or another way to prevent mosquito bites. ”

In the experiment, the team tracked the behavior of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. They sprayed specific odors into miniature test chambers and showed different types of visual patterns, such as a colored dot or a human hand.

In the absence of any odor irritation, the mosquitoes basically ignore the dots at the bottom of the room, no matter what color. After spraying carbon dioxide indoors, mosquitoes continue to ignore the dot, whether it's green, blue, or purple. But if the dot is red, orange, black, or cyan, the mosquito will fly towards it.

The researchers say most people have "true color" vision: see different wavelengths of light as different colors, such as 650 nanometers showing red and 450 nanometers appearing blue. Researchers don't yet know if mosquitoes perceive color in the same way as human eyes. But most of the colors that mosquitoes like when they smell carbon dioxide — red, orange and black — all correspond to longer wavelengths of light. And human skin, whether pigmented or not, will emit a long-wave signal in the reddish-orange range.

　　This study revealed how the mosquito's sense of smell affects the mosquito's response to visual cues. Knowing which colors attract hungry mosquitoes can help design better repellents, predators, and other methods to stop mosquito bites.

Source: Science and Technology Daily