Why do mosquitoes bite some people more than others?
Why do mosquitoes bite someone more, and someone less? This question was probably asked by every person, having earned another portion of mosquito bites. What criteria does a mosquito use when choosing a "victim"? Let's find out.
There are many versions of why mosquitoes bite some people more than others. Entomologists name a number of factors that determine the" taste preferences " of insects. Here are the main ones:
In the course of scientific experiments, it was proved that the blood of group 0(l) (the first blood group) is liked by mosquitoes more than the blood of groups A (ll), B(lll), AB (lV). Mosquitoes determine what kind of blood type a person has by smell. The bodies of most people (about 85%) emit chemicals that "give out" this information to insects. Approximately 15% of the population does not have these substances in the body, so they are less interesting to mosquitoes. They are bitten less, but they still bite!
Mosquitoes are attracted by substances released by the human skin microflora. Thousands of species of bacteria live in the upper layers of the epidermis and in the upper layers of the hair sacs. No matter how thoroughly a person washes, it is impossible to completely wash off the microflora of the skin. Skin microbes break down substances that secrete sweat and sebaceous glands, and a person has his own special "aroma". The more diverse it is, the less often mosquitoes will land on a person, and vice versa. That is why mosquito repellents, which have strong persistent odors, scare away annoying bloodsuckers.
Thanks to the unique organ that is located next to the proboscis, the mosquito can track the carbon dioxide "trace" at a distance of up to 50 meters. This trace is formed when a person exhales. Therefore, the more often we breathe, the more we attract the attention of insects. Roughly speaking, for them, the whole world is a stream of CO2, and they tend to go where there is more carbon dioxide.
A separate subgroup can also include the preferences of mosquitoes by the color of clothing. It is believed that dark objects seem more pleasant to the mosquito's eye, although research by scientists has not given a clear answer why. In any case, you can also get rid of unnecessary attention of mosquitoes with the help of colored and light clothing. If you are in the dark, be ready for a mosquito attack!
Currently, there are about 3,600 species of blood-sucking mosquitoes. They are spread all over the globe, and their main "victims" are people. And no matter what experiments scientists conduct, it is unlikely that it will be possible to exterminate mosquitoes once and for all. Therefore, we offer to protect yourself by using 10 natural, but deadly for insects scents. Many of them are already at your home.
Keywords: Nature | Science | Insects | Interesting | Mosquitoes | Bites