So, I was reading this old article by Jenna Birch in HuffPost early this morning, and it turns out there’s a scientific reason why mosquitoes seem to love me more than others. I’m like—wow! Apparently, it’s not just bad luck or the blood type is ‘sweeter’ than others; it’s a combination of factors like blood type, body chemistry, and even what I wear!
First off, it seems mosquitoes have a preference for certain blood types, and mine is a B—might be on their menu too. According to a study, they tend to land on people with Type O blood more often. So, beware. Apparently, our bodies give off secretions that act like a neon sign for our blood type, and mosquitoes are particularly good at reading those signs. Secretions is pretty much a process by which substances are produced and discharged from our body cell, gland, or organ for a particular function in the organism or for excretion. Google it if you wish to know more about it. It’s way above my knowledge grade here.
But that’s not all. It turns out these little bloodsuckers are also attracted to carbon dioxide, which we all exhale. People with higher metabolic rates tend to produce more CO2, making them more appealing to mosquitoes. So, if you’re someone who’s always on the move, or maybe a bit overweight, you might be unwittingly sending out a mosquito dinner invitation.
But what really caught my attention was the fact that mosquitoes use their vision to hunt. They fly low to the ground and use the horizon as a backdrop to spot potential victims. This means that wearing dark clothes can make you stand out more, like a beacon for hungry mosquitoes. So, what can we do about this? Well, for starters, try to avoid being outside during peak mosquito hours, which are typically around dawn and dusk. But that’s not always possible, I know, but try your level best anyway.
Covering up with long sleeves and trousers is a good option here. I’ve also heard that mosquitoes aren’t big fans of wind, so maybe sitting near a fan could help. And if we do get bitten? Well, try to resist the urge to scratch, as tempting as it may be. Ice packs and anti-itch creams can help soothe the itch, and antihistamines might be necessary if we somehow end up with multiple bites.
It’s interesting to learn that something as simple as blood type and body chemistry can make such a big difference in how attractive I am to mosquitoes. Great stuff. Thanks for enlighting this to all of us Jenna Birch and HuffPost.
