5 reasons why mosquitoes bite you - voila! health

2022-08-01T07:41:12.433Z

The current summer is hotter than before and that means lots of sweat and humidity. It also means a lot of mosquitoes. So why do they bite you and not others? Here are 5 reasons

5 reasons why mosquitoes bite you

The current summer is hotter than before and that means lots of sweat and humidity.

It also means a lot of mosquitoes.

So why do they bite you and not others?

Here are 5 reasons

Voila system!

health

01/08/2022

Monday, August 01, 2022, 10:00 a.m. Updated: 10:26 a.m.

Share on Facebook
Share on WhatsApp
Share on Twitter
Share by email
Share in general
Comments
Comments

It's not a mosquito, it's a mosquito (Photo: ShutterStock, AlessandroZocc)

No matter what area you live in Israel, the current summer, the heat wave and the high temperatures bring with them constant sweat, humidity from hell, and yes - even mosquitoes that can drive us crazy.

Not many know, but the male mosquitoes live only on nectar, while the females need blood for the egg production process.

The mosquitoes are not just a nuisance and according to the estimates, about 3 million people die every year as a result of infectious diseases that they transmitted to them.

Therefore, it may be strange to think about it, but the female mosquito is considered one of the most dangerous animals for humans.

Even so, the mosquitoes that drive you crazy at night probably won't transmit infectious diseases to you, since we live in an area free of diseases like malaria or dengue fever, which can be transmitted through a bite.

However, they are definitely a real nuisance, especially at night.

In 2015, American researchers found that mosquitoes choose their victims carefully, using three senses - smell, sight and heat.

So why do they choose you?

There are a lot of reasons for this, some of which you can influence and some of which were decided on you.

These are the most prominent of them:

you are hot

Sweat and moisture attract the mosquitoes.

A sweaty man (Photo: ShutterStock)

Yes, there is a very good reason why mosquitoes invade our homes precisely in the hottest and most oppressive season, and this is not some super plan of the world to break our spirits.

Here the equation is quite simple - when we sweat, we excrete lactic acid, uric acid, ammonia and other compounds.

The smell of these many delights attracts the mosquitoes just like the effect of the smell of popcorn on us.

Physical activity that makes us sweat increases the accumulation of lactic acids that attract mosquitoes.

Therefore, you should avoid strenuous physical activity before going to bed, and set the air conditioner to a low and pleasant temperature that will allow you to get through the night without itching.

You drink alcohol

Who doesn't like alcohol?

A glass of beer (Photo: Giphy)

It turns out that female mosquitoes love good alcohol, and just like you, they have pretty simple tastes.

In one study conducted in 2002 by Japanese researchers, it was found that female mosquitoes were more attracted to subjects who drank beer before the experiment.

The researchers assumed that the reason for this lies in the increase in ethanol in sweat - a chemical compound found in the favorite drink, and in the increase in body temperature as a result of the alcohol.

However, no one has yet been able to put their finger on the exact reason why our buzzing girlfriends prefer beer

You have this blood type

There is a blood type that they especially like.

Blood test (Photo: ShutterStock)

Here is a section that you can't do much about, but at least it will help you understand the source of the problem.

It turns out that in addition to the flying females' preference for quality beer, they also like a very specific blood type.

A study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology found that mosquitoes are attracted to people with blood type O, twice as much as people with blood type A. Blood type B is somewhere in the middle, and it is not clear what the situation is for people with blood type AB.

Another interesting statistic is that 85 percent of us secrete a substance that allows mosquitoes to identify our blood type.

The study showed that the mosquitoes will prefer these people - regardless of their blood type.

They like your clothes

This summer you will wear white.

White clothes drying in the sun (Photo: ShutterStock)

Just like us, mosquitoes also "eat with their eyes", and the form in which their "prey" appears greatly influences its choice.

If you want to make yourself a less attractive prey for them, try wearing lighter colors.

Dark colors like black and red, make you stand out more, and easier to identify for them.

Spending a night in nature?

You should equip yourself with a lot of bright clothes that will not attract the infamous flyers to you.

Your skin is attractive

Love the knee area very much.

A woman holding her knee (Photo: ShutterStock)

A study found that one of the things that attracts the female mosquito the most is the balance of bacteria living on your skin.

Some studies have shown that the types of bacteria on our skin play an important role in our choice of victim.

In one study it was found that not necessarily people who have more bacteria on their face get more bites, but those whose bacteria live on them are more diverse and heterogeneous.

This also explains why certain mosquitoes are more attracted to the ankles and feet - which are very fertile ground for infections.

health
my health