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What attracts mosquitoes?

Wondering what attracts mosquitoes to you or other people? Here are several main things everyone should know in order to avoid or to lure these insects.

 

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide from the breath of humans and animals helps mosquitoes to find their prey. A burning candle or other fire is another source of carbon dioxide. However, CO2 alone is not enough to attract mosquitoes.

Lactic Acid
Everyone of us releases lactic acid when exercising or consuming particular foods. This chemical is used in some of mosquito traps as an attractant.

Octenol

When people and animals breathe, they exhale mixture of carbon dioxide and octenol, which is actually a type ofalcohol. Octenol is sometimes described as 'cow’s breath in a can', and is a remarkable lure for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes and other biting insects have extremely-sensitive receptors that can detect this chemical from almost 100 feet away.

Body heat

Circulating blood in animals and humans radiates body heat. As mosquitoes have sophisticated heat sensors, they follow body heat and exhaled gases and fly to their target. The exact temperature depends on the type of mosquito.

Moisture

During breathing people also exhale water vapor and perspiration is produced during active movement. Even small amounts of water will attract mosquitoes as it could mean possible blood source or possible breading site.

Movement

Mosquitoes can see their victims from within 30 feet by locating the changes in waves of light around them, caused by moving objects.

Color

Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, so wearing dark is not the best thing if you want to avoid being bitten. Dark foliage is another attractant.

Sound
Although some of mosquito trap manufacturers state that they use mosquito attracting or repelling sounds, scientists have proven there is no particular sound frequency that would be interesting to mosquitoes.

Scientific experiments show that only one of mentioned sources is not enough for mosquitoes to react – combination of several things as carbon dioxide, lactic acid and octenol attracts mosquitoes best.

One of the studies by entomologist Daniel L. Kline showed that worn human socks alone attracted very few mosquitoes. However, a significant increase occurred to CO2-baited traps when combined with a worn sock for most mosquitoes, including species of Aedes, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Culiseta, and Psorophora.

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Comments

miyavyav viva Laa mosQuiTos
by miyavyav
Terrell I am dark skinned and attract mosquitoes like flies on watermelon. I rub noxzema on my skin and the Mosquitos stay at bay. Look dumb as heck though
by Terrell
Tiffaney I have finally stopped being bit by mosquitos. I finally found something that works for me, and for many that try it when I spray it on them. I use doTERRA essential oils, specifically TerraShield. It is an awesome blend of oils that really work well. Lemongrass is just one of the many oils in it that really repel many insects. I love it and always have it on hand. I just put some oil in a spray bottle (the travel sized ones they sell at the grocery store), I put 10-15 drops of essential oil, and fill the rest with distilled water. Then I just shake the bottle, then spray it. It is awesome, smells good, works great, and has no chemicals in it!! :D
by Tiffaney
Brooke I've been a mosquito magnet lately!! Bites here there & everywhere. My dad has this albas oil to soothe his aches/pains etc & I put some of that on because I had a cold, I didn't get bitten once! Since then I've been putting albas oil on my pillows & around my room. Not only does it help colds & aches & pains, but its a mosquito repellant! Brilliant;)!
by Brooke
Chuck Norris BOWFLEX... VOTE REPUBLICAN, MOTHERFUCKERS!
by Chuck Norris
Fahd My biochemistry proffessor said such a thing and I searched to assure ! 5/5 Youre great !! Keep it on
by Fahd
Your dick mosquito s seem to be attracted to those who are sick more than those whom are well, a smoker has sick blood therefore it is easier to thin and suck up for a mosi and a person with high blood preesure or low blood pressure or a disease or illness those that are o medication tend to attract mosquitoes as it is easier for the mosquitoes to digest the blood, yes bananas and anything sweet attract them as well so (to dude - dot tell someone to jump off a building as that is soooooooooooooo foolish o your part obviously you think that you are a god and people should listen to you- but you are nothing but an insecure BULLY -fool) to everyone else do some experiments and find out why the mosquitoes are attracted to you and then when you have figured it out there is this stuff called rid spray it on yourself and the mosquitoes then wont annoy you . as for mozi trap water still water mozies are atrcted to that and a moth trap sticky hang it outside like a fly trap strip would work as well. and those electric bug zappers.
by Your dick
Chuck Norris I once knew a mosquito, she was a real blood sucker. She would not admit it to me, she wasting definitely attracted to tall guys with expensive cars and nice clothes. Just like the rest of her phony friends. As soon as I turned my back she would right on someone else`s arm! Even though we broke up I still miss the way she buzzed around me. A little skinny maybe but I like'm that way.
by Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris Every day mosquitoes bite me they start to sing gangman style, then party rock anthem, after that they sing i`m sexy and I know it, then they take out a tiny rocket launcher, and kill themselves.
by Chuck Norris
Cheyenne Wear dark colors and eat a lot of bannas to attract mosquitoes.
by Cheyenne
by sam Maybe I should not wear dark clothes outside.
by by sam
killer bee I once knew a mosquito, she was a real blood sucker. She wouldnt admit it to me, she wasting definitely attracted to tall guys with expensive cars and nice clothes. Just like the rest of her phony friends. As soon as I turned my back she would right on someone elses arm! Even tho were broke up i still miss the way she buzzed around me. A little skinny maybe but I like'm that way. Hope this helps.
by killer bee
Naveen kumar Mosquitoes r my frndssssss
by Naveen kumar
Chuck Norris When mosquitos bite me, they die instantly.
by Chuck Norris
Derp A mosquito once bit me, hopped about for 5 seconds and died.
by Derp
Japheth Thanks! but i also observed that mosquies bite people with oily skin more than they do others. Probably due to the dirts trapped on their oily skin.
by Japheth
Marisa Thank you so much! This helped me a lot! But would you mind adding why mosquitoes are attracted to unsanitary things like dirt and mud? Thank you again so much!! :-)
by Marisa
doreen mosquitoes no longer lucky we are to caution our carbon to avoid smelling
by doreen
natalie that really helped me with my assignment
by natalie
rupesh bhatt words used is very easy to understand
by rupesh bhatt
betta one mosquito s seem to be attracted to those who are sick more than those whom are well, a smoker has sick blood therefore it is easier to thin and suck up for a mosi and a person with high blood preesure or low blood pressure or a disease or illness those that are o medication tend to attract mosquitoes as it is easier for the mosquitoes to digest the blood, yes bananas and anything sweet attract them as well so (to dude - dot tell someone to jump off a building as that is soooooooooooooo foolish o your part obviously you think that you are a god and people should listen to you- but you are nothing but an insecure BULLY -fool) to everyone else do some experiments and find out why the mosquitoes are attracted to you and then when you have figured it out there is this stuff called rid spray it on yourself and the mosquitoes then wont annoy you . as for mozi trap water still water mozies are atrcted to that and a moth trap sticky hang it outside like a fly trap strip would work as well. and those electric bug zappers.
by betta one
Emily thanx 4 the info. After reading this article, i think the reason i get bitten by mosquitoes more than anyone else in family is bcz i am a smoker lol.
by Emily
eshwar regarding the behaviour of mosquitoes bite you have throughly discribed, but these informations are very old ones, try to give more and latest informatioons
by eshwar
Jaclyn KILL ALL MOSQUITOS
by Jaclyn
lonny This site is simple and answers the question.well done.but are mosquitoes important?
by lonny
david thos little bastards bite every thing
by david
Alphaking445 the best mosquito lure black cloth and the moisture of our body
by Alphaking445
sanam well i need to know more info plz help me out for my assignment
by sanam
ts ok i know a person who drank alot of water and ate alot of foods with garlic. when he would go in the deep woods everone else would get eaten up but he never got bitten. after years i learned that if you take dryer sheets you know the smell good ones and put one sheet under the neck of your shirt they stay away from you it works for me try it i put 2 one under each strap of my shirt you see i am a magnet also but i drink alot of sodas i think that is why they like me
by ts
Monica i hope that you could give me chemical ingredients on how to attract mosquitoes and kill them by trapping them,please :D ..gosh ,it's a project ..Desperately Yours
by Monica
limogirl22 If i go in the woods with a flashlight will it help with getting less masquito bites?
by limogirl22
Cassie Ugh..... This is very helpful but like I'm always getting bitten when my friends aren't well be chillin at the pool and bam I have 30+ bug bites and I look like I have he chicken pox!! Everybody is always like what's tht I'm like never mind! So how do I make them go away?
by Cassie
Aaron What attracts a skeeter? The human body clean or not attracts. I figure if it were just breath then bites would occur around nostrils and/or mouth. Not so, they go for legs arms, neck, all the other exposed areas. They come around the dog. Again, not homing in on the respiratives but ANYWHERE else on poor Lumpy Jr. What do we have in common? Sebum from sebaceous glands. The glands produce organic secretions to keep our coats nice and shiny. Sebum is wax, triglycerides, a few fatty acids and an oil called squalene. All mammals make it i varying formulations, but the real fun starts when the flora and fauna of the skin begin to eat it and release funky aromatics. THERE are the attractants. But - if Octenol works, it works. I do not buy the argument that it has anything to do with breath given I've not seen a skeeter bite on a nose in my 60 years. If you get one , please post it.
by Aaron
gone_fishin We use a small plastic decorative pone with "mosquito fish". Just a few of these little 1" fish will destroy the mosquitos most easily available water soures (I.e. the pond) in our yard by consuming the young as soon as they move. 1 fish will consume 100 larva or more in just 2 hours and they are around $0.20 each but don't over stock. Please also remember that while mosquitos are a sheer pain they also rank at the foundation level of many ecosystems meaning that there abcents could starve out an entire system so we MUST make sure that the use of these little mosquito (larva) eaters is confined to our "backyards" and that they are NEVER releasted into the wild.
by gone_fishin
tomo the best repellants are campfire smoke and high winds.
by tomo
Cathy I know they are attracted to people who eat bananas
by Cathy
Dude Are u guys american? If you are,youre retarded! Idiots! Grow a brain and jump off a buildin
by Dude
Bea Thanks:) Buuuuuut,,, yeah. Nevermind.8-|
by Bea
kavi good
by kavi
Kabir One way I learnt to remove mosquitoes from my room was to close the lights, turn on the fan in full speed and let only one source of light visible i.e. small opening of door through which light is visible. Doing this for 5 minutes will take much of the mosquitoes out of room. Writing this I mean to say that i have learnt that mosquitoes are also attracted towards light out of darkness. Is it so???
by Kabir
Royan Dont know if this was just my inmagniation but a few years back one evening while still in school (Army School) I had been out in the football ground trying to find a quite place I had noticed a school of mosquitoes flying around a pole, I further noticed that when I whistled the mosquiotes swayed to the pitch of the whistle....I never found out of this was anything more than just my imagination
by Royan
Danny Very good summation. I have always been at the top of their menu. Keeping your skin covered is best but not ideal for hot summer evenings. Maybe the right pheromone might be a good attractant for traps.
by Danny
Tracy Crazy...we all sit out on the porch at the end of the day (about 5-7 of us) and I am the only one that gets devoured. We have been disagreeing on what attracts them and this is something I can throw at them now. I don't know if I want to say I have "cows breath in a can" though!
by Tracy
Tara So they don't like cold things then? I guess this would explain why they go after my mom and not me. :D
by Tara
dood This Article Is Pretty Accurate. Why Am I Capitalizing Every Word I Type? I Have No Idea, But Some Retard Below Me Did.
by dood
fuzion why is everyone comenting like this is youtube or something?? lol
by fuzion
tooot i swear to god mosquitoes are attracted to me. was at a bbq the other day all my friends were fine with just a few bites but for me i got bit on every part of my body even one on my FACE i was soo pissed
by tooot
CC fan of Andy~ agreeing with your comment. Too funny!
by CC
Andy Okay idiots. The guide wasn't on how to keep mosquitoes away, it's on what attracts them. Not what we should do or not do if we wantthem near, simply just what attracts them. Also, how can you not understand this? It's clear as day! Some people are just so stupid sometimes that it amazes me.
by Andy
Laura Didn't know they were attracted to dark colors. Good to know for next time.
by Laura
Gorgeouzz Babe i liked parts of it, it was Ok, it helped me with my spech, thanks!
by Gorgeouzz Babe
Laxman What about attraction and repulsion of mosquito to locations those are lighted or dark? Is there any information on this?
by Laxman
Archy I think these winged insects is one of the perfected predators. If they perfected the art of not coming near the human ear...Id say they be dam good at what they do...But now i have say they realy eratating when you want to sleep. So if that atracts them what keeps them away? What dont they like?
by Archy
douche bag this article was very useful thanks
by douche bag
yenkls semiochemicals attracts mosquitoes. They are natural compounds from animals and plants. checkout a video at youtube "mosquito attractant". They actually filmed mosquitoe responses to such chemicals.
by yenkls
Dina Can you be more specific, it seems like everything attracts mosquitoes. It does not make any sense. If you do not know the answer its ok to say no one knows what attracts mosquitoes.
by Dina
Kiwi so basically we shouldn't breathe while outside and around mosquitos. That works...
by Kiwi
VazIrid92 Great Info Very Helpful :)
by VazIrid92
BETH VERY GOOD XXX
by BETH
Anne RUBBISH!!!
by Anne
Emily it is very good :)
by Emily
LOla Ros3 I dont understand- we need to understand it OOKKK
by LOla Ros3
me it was ok not good but not bad
by me
nanyz this article is extremely useful now I know why I WAS A MOSQUITO MAGNET!!!!!!!!!
by nanyz
ozkar yeah she is
by ozkar
Zia zia is badddass:)
by Zia
agam what all types of food you are talking about while talking about lactic acid. does having an higher/lower intake of this type of food result in higher/lower number of mosquito bites or vice versa..does the amount of sugar or milk have any effect on the no. of mosquito bites the person is prone to?
by agam


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