Mosquito Facts
- Only females bite.
- They prefer adults to children, women to men and pregnant women most of all.
- They find ovulating women more attractive than those menstruating.
- But, mosquitoes are opportunistic — they bite whomever comes along first.
- Movement attracts mosquitoes, so swatting at them is a good way to get them swarming around you.
- The main things that draw mosquitoes to their victims are carbon dioxide, heat and lactic acid (left on the skin by sweat).
- Frequent bathing in cool water to lower the temperature of your body surface and wash away the buildup of lactic acid on your skin should reduce your attractiveness to mosquitoes.
- Contrary to popular belief, colors of clothing are not very important to mosquitoes because the other attractions are so much stronger.
- Most fabrics are only 1 mm thick, but a mosquito's proboscis is 2 mm long and can easily bite through clothing, especially clothing that clings to the skin.
- Citronella is not as effective as a lotion or spray containing DEET.
- DEET won't keep a mosquito from approaching, but it can stop her from biting by jamming the cells in the insect's antennas that are sensitive to lactic acid.
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