Have you been starting to notice that mosquitoes are constantly humming by, getting on your nerves and leaving behind nasty bites? It’s because it’s summer!
Mosquitoes start to come out and play at 50-degree temperatures, and they’re a huge nuisance to anyone trying to enjoy the sunny days outside.
How can you keep them at bay, and why do they seem to gravitate towards you?
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Why Am I Attracting Mosquitoes?
Find yourself swarmed by huge groups of mosquitoes the moment you go outside? Here are some of the reasons these pesky insects might like you so much!
1. You were sweaty and haven’t showered
The smell of sweat is incredibly attractive to these bugs, and the worst part is that they’re most enticing to the types of mosquitoes that tend to carry malaria.
Unfortunately, it’s old sweat more than fresh swear that really gets the mosquitoes flying over, as the bacteria produced makes it smell sweet to them.
2. You’ve had a few drinks
Drinking alcoholic beverages leads to an increase in metabolism, which then causes you to emit more carbon dioxide. In turn, carbon dioxide is attractive to mosquitoes.
Oddly, mosquitoes have been found to prefer beer drinkers to those who drink other kinds of alcohol, but if you’ve had any drink, you may still find a few buzzing around.
3. You’ve exercised recently
Being athletic has tons of perks health-wise, but it also means that mosquitoes are much more likely to come around.
This is because exercise causes the body to produce lactic acid, which mosquitoes absolutely love.
4. You’re pregnant
Pregnant women also release more carbon dioxide than the average person and, as we’ve mentioned, this can attract quite a few mosquitoes.
5. You wear sweet perfumes
Sweet smells tend to get these annoying bugs swarming, so if you’re using a perfume that has a scent like this, you might wind up with more of them trying to bite you.
The same goes for soaps with sweet scents.
6. You’re blood type O
Unfortunately, it seems like mosquitoes discriminate by blood type! Science has proven that those with Type O blood are actually two times as likely to get mosquitoes flying around them.
Meanwhile, if you have Type A blood, rejoice – mosquitoes are the least into this blood group.
7. Your clothes are very bright or dark
It’s fairly common knowledge that wearing dark clothes can entice mosquitoes, but it’s not because they like dark colors!
In fact, mosquitoes have a tendency to ignore light or soft colors on people, since those sorts of colors can disguise you from them.
This means that even bright colors on clothes can attract these insects!
How Do I Get Mosquitoes To Stay Away?
Now, you know why you may be such a mosquito magnet – but what can you do about it?
1. Keep your surroundings clean
Naturally, you likely already know this, but ensuring there is no stagnant water surrounding your home is vital in ensuring a mosquito-free home.
The grass in your yard and lawn should also be well trimmed.
2. Make use of insect repellent
Plenty of commercial varieties of this product will do the trick nicely for you.
Since mosquitoes mainly use their sense of smell to detect who to bite, these repellents really help keep them at bay.
You can even make your own at home with ingredients you may already have!
3. Shower!
We’ve already mentioned how old sweat smells sweet and attractive to mosquitoes. Making sure you’re fresh and clean can help to entice these bugs much less.
4. Wear thicker clothing
We know hot months mean thick clothes are the absolute worst, but this type of attire will ensure mosquitoes can’t bite you as easily.
Opt for lightweight but thick garments that cover more parts of your body!
5. Stay clear of mosquito territory
Areas, where there is stagnant water, tall grass, or forests where wind barely brushes, make for the favorite spots of these insects.
They like still air, warm conditions, and damp areas.
6. Add these things to your diet
Research has found that onions, garlic, and even chili peppers make the body less attractive to these blood-sucking bugs.