Why Do Mosquitoes Seem to Target Some People More Than Others?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around why mosquitoes seem to target some individuals more than others, exploring various factors that may influence mosquito attraction, including body chemistry, carbon dioxide emission, and personal health conditions. Participants share personal experiences and hypotheses related to this phenomenon.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that mosquitoes are attracted to individuals who emit higher levels of carbon dioxide, which may be more common in larger individuals or pregnant women.
  • It is proposed that certain skin chemicals, such as cholesterol and uric acid, may attract mosquitoes, with some participants referencing expert opinions on this topic.
  • One participant mentions anecdotal claims that dietary choices, like eating bananas or garlic, might influence mosquito attraction, though no studies are cited to support this.
  • Another participant notes that mosquitoes are particularly attracted to movement and heat, which can draw them closer to individuals engaged in physical activity.
  • Some participants discuss personal experiences with mosquito bites, including differences in sensitivity and reactions to bites, suggesting that individual responses may vary significantly.
  • There is mention of specific compounds, such as octenol, that may also play a role in attracting mosquitoes, raising questions about individual body chemistry.
  • One participant raises the possibility that underlying health conditions, such as diabetes or hypoglycemia, might affect mosquito attraction, although this remains speculative.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the factors influencing mosquito attraction, with no clear consensus on which factors are most significant or how they interact. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the specific reasons for individual differences in mosquito bites.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various sources and personal anecdotes, but there are limitations in the scientific backing for some claims, and assumptions about health conditions and body chemistry remain unverified.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in entomology, personal health, or those seeking to understand the factors influencing insect attraction may find this discussion relevant.

Ms Music
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Why is that? I can't really complain, but it has been like that all my life. Last weekend we were up in the mountains, and my daughter came home with about a dozen mosquito bites. I had none. She was wearing jeans, I was wearing shorts. She even had bites on her legs, so obviously they were so tempted by her blood that they somehow went through her jeans, while they left my bare legs alone.

Okay, jokes about my not being sweet enough and whatever are very welcome, I truly enjoy the humor. But I really would like to understand why, so please make sure there are at least a few plausible answers amongst the jabs. I feel like I am either superior, or damaged goods.
 
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Ms Music said:
Why is that? I can't really complain, but it has been like that all my life. Last weekend we were up in the mountains, and my daughter came home with about a dozen mosquito bites. I had none. She was wearing jeans, I was wearing shorts. She even had bites on her legs, so obviously they were so tempted by her blood that they somehow went through her jeans, while they left my bare legs alone.

Okay, jokes about my not being sweet enough and whatever are very welcome, I truly enjoy the humor. But I really would like to understand why, so please make sure there are at least a few plausible answers amongst the jabs. I feel like I am either superior, or damaged goods.
Ms Music,

I was told that mosquito's are attracted to people who give off too much carbon dioxide.
Yep, I looked it up, that and other reasons listed below: Here is what http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/are-you-mosquito-magnet" had to say:

No comment on whether you are superior or damaged goods...
"People with high concentrations of steroids or cholesterol on their skin surface attract mosquitoes," Butler tells WebMD. That doesn't necessarily mean that mosquitoes prey on people with higher overall levels of cholesterol, Butler explains. These people simply may be more efficient at processing cholesterol, the byproducts of which remain on the skin's surface.

Mosquitoes also target people who produce excess amounts of certain acids, such as uric acid, explains entomologist John Edman, PhD, spokesman for the Entomological Society of America. These substances can trigger mosquitoes' sense of smell, luring them to land on unsuspecting victims.

But the process of attraction begins long before the landing. Mosquitoes can smell their dinner from an impressive distance of up to 50 meters, explains Edman. This doesn't bode well for people who emit large quantities of carbon dioxide.

"Any type of carbon dioxide is attractive, even over a long distance," Conlon says. Larger people tend to give off more carbon dioxide, which is why mosquitoes typically prefer munching on adults to small children. Pregnant women are also at increased risk, as they produce a greater-than-normal amount of exhaled carbon dioxide. Movement and heat also attract mosquitoes.

So if you want to avoid an onslaught of mosquito bites at your next outdoor gathering, stake out a chaise lounge rather than a spot on the volleyball team. Here's why. As you run around the volleyball court, the mosquitoes sense your movement and head toward you. When you pant from exertion, the smell of carbon dioxide from your heavy breathing draws them closer. So does the lactic acid from your sweat glands. And then -- gotcha.

Rhody... :wink:
 
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Mosquitoes don't hate you, they just really like your daughter.

It is said that if you eat bananas, you will attract mosquitoes, whereas if you eat garlic you will repel them. While your pores can emit scents, no studies suggest these attract or repel mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide and strong fragrances from soaps, lotions, deodorants, hair care products and perfumes.
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/pubhealth/west_nile/wnv_repellent.html
 
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Yeah, its carbon dioxide and sweat.

Of course, all the mosquitoes that bite are females...
 
KrisOhn said:
Mosquitoes don't hate you, they just really like your daughter.

BAHAHA! :devil:

That is interesting that I may just be better at processing cholesterol and acids than her. Her body type is definitely NOT from my side of the family, and may have the health genetics of her dad's family.
 
I didn't even know about these guys. They look mean.

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2011-09/64771363.jpg

http://www.thirdage.com/news/asian-tiger-mosquito-infestation-found-in-california-neighborhood_09-15-2011"
 
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Ms Music said:
Why is that? I can't really complain, but it has been like that all my life. Last weekend we were up in the mountains, and my daughter came home with about a dozen mosquito bites. I had none. She was wearing jeans, I was wearing shorts. She even had bites on her legs, so obviously they were so tempted by her blood that they somehow went through her jeans, while they left my bare legs alone.

Okay, jokes about my not being sweet enough and whatever are very welcome, I truly enjoy the humor. But I really would like to understand why, so please make sure there are at least a few plausible answers amongst the jabs. I feel like I am either superior, or damaged goods.

Are you sure that you are not being bitten, or are you like me, I just don't react to the bite; No bump, no itch, no evidence that I had ever been bitten.
 
Wow Janus, I never thought of it like that. I definitely DO get bitten at times (and the itchy bumps), but not at the rate that others do. Do you never get the itchy bump?
 
KrisOhn said:
Mosquitoes don't hate you, they just really like your daughter.


http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/pubhealth/west_nile/wnv_repellent.html

wuliheron said:
Yeah, its carbon dioxide and sweat.

Of course, all the mosquitoes that bite are females...

They also really, really like octenol (1-octen-3-ol):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1-Octen-3-ol

During the summer, I would work in the cafeteria of my building a lot. Unfortunately, mosquitoes seemed to swarm me (there, and even in the lab!) I ended up buying and lighting citronella tea lights, which worked really well (without setting off fire alarms or sprinklers).
 
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  • #10
Ms Music said:
Why is that? I can't really complain, but it has been like that all my life. Last weekend we were up in the mountains, and my daughter came home with about a dozen mosquito bites. I had none. She was wearing jeans, I was wearing shorts. She even had bites on her legs, so obviously they were so tempted by her blood that they somehow went through her jeans, while they left my bare legs alone.

Okay, jokes about my not being sweet enough and whatever are very welcome, I truly enjoy the humor. But I really would like to understand why, so please make sure there are at least a few plausible answers amongst the jabs. I feel like I am either superior, or damaged goods.

By any chance, are you diabetic? I know someone who used to claim similar thing, and we found eventually that she wasn't just sensing the bite. She was diabetic.
 
  • #11
Ms Music said:
Wow Janus, I never thought of it like that. I definitely DO get bitten at times (and the itchy bumps), but not at the rate that others do. Do you never get the itchy bump?

Never. My wife, however is very sensitive to their bites. One bite can cause a raised welt several inches across, that itches horribly. If we go camping, she has to constantly be applying insect repellant and brings a supply of antihistamines.
 
  • #12
I am not diabetic, but I AM hypoglycemic? Not sure if I was at a young age though, but definitely a possibility if hypoglycemia would make you unattractive to mosquitoes also.

The octenol thought is interesting. Would that mean I might be lower in linoleic acids? That could explain some of my health issues...
 
  • #13
How luck you are...
I wish they hated me as well! :sigh:
 
  • #14
How luck you are...
I wish they hated me as well! :sigh:
 
  • #15
They're not so bad. What I hated were the biting black flies. Fortunately, one doesn't have to sail far from shore before they stop bothering you.

Don't have much of either up here.
 
  • #16
They attack the back of my calves. Once one bites, do all the rest smell the bite to attack the same area. Almost never do I get bit on the front; shins.
 

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