Statement: The content of this article is written by quoting authoritative medical information combined with personal opinions, the source of the literature and screenshots have been marked in the text, in order to facilitate everyone's reading and understanding, some of the storylines have fictional components, which are intended to popularize scientific health knowledge, please be aware.
If you're camping with friends, sit around a campfire with the stars dotting the night and the sounds of nature all around.
But the serenity of the scene was quickly broken by a flurry of "buzzing", followed by a burst of itching. Some people seem to have become the exclusive targets of mosquitoes, constantly waving against these uninvited guests.
Why is it that there are always one or two people who seem to be more "popular" with mosquitoes than others?
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Bad journey
Emily's life has always been closely tied to the outdoors. A veteran environmental activist and nature lover, she spends every weekend hiking or camping with friends.
She enjoys the calmness and challenges that nature brings, but one thing that always haunts her is that mosquitoes always seem to have a special preference for her, whether on forest trails or on mountain tops.
On a special weekend, Emily and her friends plan to camp in a famous local national park. The preparations went well, and they set off happily with the necessary equipment and food.
Upon arriving at the campsite, everything looked perfect, the weather was clear, surrounded by lush trees, and the silhouette of the mountains in the distance loomed in the afterglow of the setting sun.
However, just as they began to set up their tents and prepare dinner, the mosquito "attack" began. Despite the use of mosquito repellent, Emily has received significantly more attention.
At night, while sitting around a campfire, her arms and legs were quickly surrounded by mosquitoes and became red and swollen, while others were barely affected.
When she returned home, she began to search the internet for information and scientific research, and learned that there are several factors that attract mosquitoes.
To better understand how these factors affect mosquito behavior, individually or collectively, Emily decided to conduct a series of small experiments.
She records personal experiences in various outdoor activities, comparing the frequency of mosquito bites in different environmental conditions. Special attention was also paid to see if there was a difference in the degree to which she attracted mosquitoes after engaging in physical activity of different intensities.
Emily purchased several different brands of mosquito repellent to test and recorded the effectiveness of each.
She found that insect repellents containing DEET seemed to work best, especially after intense exercise. In addition, she tried some natural solutions, such as wearing light-colored, long-sleeved clothes and using eucalyptus oil.
Through these efforts, Emily has not only reduced the number of mosquito bites she gets while outdoors, but has also helped her friends better protect themselves.
Four reasons to attract mosquitoes
Mosquitoes seem to have a certain preference for human selection, and many people may blame this preference on blood type. This question bothers many outdoor enthusiasts.
In fact, scientific research has revealed four key reasons why mosquitoes choose to bite their targets
1. Body temperature
Mosquitoes detect the distribution of heat through thermoreceptors, which target areas with an abundant blood supply.
When the body is engaged in physical activity or in a hot environment, the body temperature rises, which releases more heat.
That's why Emily, who is active and has a higher body temperature after a lively campfire, is more likely to attract mosquitoes than a sedentary person.
Small changes in body temperature are a strong attraction signal for mosquitoes, allowing them to pinpoint specific individuals from a wide range of potential targets.
2. Body odor
The body's natural odor is formed by a mixture of sweat breakdown, skin secretions, and metabolites in the body.
In particular, lactic acid, a chemical produced during physical activity due to insufficient oxygen use by muscles, is one of the most important targets for mosquitoes.
Emily's intense exercise in the outdoors increases the concentration of lactic acid in his sweat, making him an easy target for mosquitoes.
In addition, the decomposition of certain bacteria on the skin can also produce a smell that attracts mosquitoes, and this smell varies significantly from person to person, partly explaining why mosquitoes favor certain people.
3. Carbon dioxide emissions
People who are active or larger will often exhale more carbon dioxide and are therefore more likely to attract mosquitoes.
On camping nights, everyone sits around the campfire and laughs, and Emily, as an activist, naturally exhales more carbon dioxide, which is another reason why he is the target of mosquito bites.
4. Microbial composition on the skin
Human skin is home to a variety of microorganisms, and the species and number of these microorganisms vary from person to person.
The metabolic activity of these microorganisms produces specific odors that have varying degrees of attraction to mosquitoes.
Studies have shown that certain skin bacteria are able to produce odors that attract mosquitoes, while others may have mosquito repellent effects.
Emily's skin microbiometry may be biased towards the type that attracts mosquitoes, which is why he is more susceptible to bites than others.
Mechanism of mosquito preference
Mosquito bites aren't just annoying, they can also transmit serious diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and West Nile virus.
Therefore, understanding how mosquitoes choose their bite targets and taking effective measures to prevent bites is an important part of protecting personal health.
The mechanism by which mosquitoes perceive their host
Mosquitoes have highly developed sensory systems that are able to find and locate their host through olfactory, visual, and thermal perceptions.
Through their antennae, they are able to detect the nuances of volatile organic compounds that are normally emitted into the air with human breath and sweat. The heat generated by human activity also provides induction signals for mosquitoes.
How to prevent mosquito bites based on this knowledge
Use insect repellents: Choose insect repellents that contain active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, or lemon eucalyptus oil. These chemicals can interfere with mosquitoes' olfactory perception and reduce their attraction to human hosts.
Wear protective clothing: Wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants to cover exposed skin as much as possible. Light-colored clothing is less likely to attract mosquitoes than dark-colored clothing.
Combined with a scientific understanding of mosquito selection behavior, we can more effectively reduce the frequency of mosquito bites and the risk of related diseases.
Sensory system and target selection in mosquitoes
Vision: Although mosquitoes do not have as developed vision as animals, they are able to perceive movement and contrast.
In a low-light environment, people wearing dark clothing are more likely to be spotted by mosquitoes than those wearing light-colored clothing, because dark colors tend to absorb heat, which raises the target's body temperature and makes it stand out more.
Sense of smell: Mosquitoes have a very sensitive sense of smell, and they can detect carbon dioxide and other volatile organic compounds from distances of up to 50 meters.
This ability allows mosquitoes to effectively track down their targets, especially in calm nights.
blood type
Although often discussed, the effect of blood type on mosquito attraction is actually relatively small.
Some studies have shown that people with blood type O are more susceptible to mosquito bites than people with other blood types, which may be related to differences in certain chemicals on the body surface of individuals with blood type O.
However, this effect is far less significant than the aforementioned body temperature and carbon dioxide emissions.
Influence of genetic factors
Naturally occurring compounds on the skin of some people are effective at repelling mosquitoes, and the production of these compounds is partly controlled by genetic factors.
By understanding mosquito behaviour patterns holistically, effective preventive measures are taken to reduce the discomfort of mosquito bites and the risk of being exposed to transmitted diseases.
warning
By analysing mosquito habits and the reasons behind them, we are able to take more effective preventive measures to protect ourselves from these tiny schistosomes.
By understanding the science of mosquito bites and practicing effective prevention strategies, we can enjoy the outdoors with more confidence without being overly concerned.
Resources:
[1] "Why don't mosquitoes bite others, but only love to bite you?" Is the meat too sweet? Strange knowledge has been added again...". Popular Science China.2020-05-26
[2] "Is Electric Mosquito Recoil Liquid Harmful to the Human Body? Can I drive it overnight? 》. State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power.2022-06-24