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Why do mosquitoes bite me so much?

Why Do Mosquitoes Always Bite Me?

After the seventh or eighth time a mosquito has bitten you, you’ll probably wonder in exasperation, “Why do mosquitoes always bite me?” After all, it can get quite annoying to be dealing with those pesky bites on a regular basis. It’s understandable if you might be at your wits’ end. Besides that, if the mosquito that bites you is a carrier, you might be at a higher risk of developing certain illnesses, which can put your life to a halt even if just for a while. Even if the ones that bite you don’t carry these diseases, those bites can still be a pain to deal with and can lead to infections if you scratch on them too much.

To help prevent those mozzies from biting you, find out why certain people attract more mozzie bites than others. Once you know why, you can then discover the best ways to avoid getting bitten the next time you’re out and about.

Why do mosquitoes like me?

Are you a mozzie magnet? Or are you one of those lucky people with natural mosquito repellent superpowers?

It turns out there really are two extremes - but if you’re one of the unlucky 20 per cent of the population that gets bitten more often than everyone else, you probably already knew that.

So, apart from forgetting to use insect repellent, what makes some people more attractive to mozzies than others?

Factors that affect why mosquitoes are attracted to you

There are many factors that determine why mosquitoes bite you more than others. Some of the main ones are the following:

  • Carbon dioxide - Certain studies suggest that people who produce more CO2 are more attractive to mozzies. 
  • Lactic acid - Lactic acid is said to be a signature human odourant for mozzies. As we tend to produce lactic acid when we sweat or exercise, we’re much more prone to being bitten when we haven’t washed off our sweat.
  • Skin bacteria and compounds - Each individual has a unique skin microbiota composition, and some are just either naturally attractive or repellent to mosquitoes. For example, studies have found that more bacteria on your skin attracts more mozzies, but a higher microbial diversity tends to attract less bites.
  • Body temperature - Mozzies tend to prefer hosts with a higher body heat. In fact, it’s been found that the heat sensors in their antennae help them hunt hosts from great distances. For this reason, you tend to attract more mosquitoes when you exercise or when you go out during hot weather. Some people also naturally just run hot, making them more prone to mosquito bites.
  • Blood types - Studies show that mosquitoes seem to prefer those with the blood type O.
  • Diet and food consumption - The consumption of certain food items, namely beer and bananas, have been shown to increase the frequency of bites. 

Beyond these, other factors that need to be considered when determining why mosquitoes are attracted to you include the following:

A mozzie's sense of smell

Mosquitoes have a keen sense of smell, apparently, and they have a thing for carbon dioxide. People who exhale more CO2 tend to be targets. So that means larger people and those with high metabolic rates - or people who’ve just been exercising - are especially prone to getting bitten more. So if you’re on the larger side, keep this in mind the next time you’re out. You might just be the mozzies’ prime target the next time you’re out in the wild.

Mozzies and pregnancy

As if pregnancy wasn’t uncomfortable enough, it also increases your chances of becoming a mozzie meal. Along with CO2, pregnant women also emit more heat — another thing mosquitoes love. When you sweat, they can smell the lactic acids on your skin and hair, and will start to home in on you. If you’re expecting, make sure to protect yourself from mosquitoes and mosquito bites. You wouldn’t want to make your pregnancy more difficult by having to deal with those annoying mozzie bites after all.

Mozzies’ hunger

It’s easy to assume that mozzies suck your blood to satisfy your hunger, but this isn’t the case. Contrary to popular belief, mozzies don’t bite us because they’re hungry — their primary food source is plant nectar. Instead, they seek a protein that’s needed to develop their eggs — that’s why it’s only the female mosquitoes that have a nibble.

How can we avoid getting bitten?

Now that you know the factors that influence why mosquitoes bite you, what can be done to avoid these bites? Yes, some of us are more naturally inclined to get bitten, but that doesn’t mean we should just allow that to happen. Remember, mosquito bites can cause diseases such as Zika virus, dengue fever and Ross River virus among other illnesses. Not to mention that dealing with mozzie bites in general is just very tiresome and inconvenient. They can prove to be quite the distraction from your everyday life, and your quality of life would be affected a lot. You should do your best in ensuring you can avoid these bites whenever possible.

To know how to keep mosquitoes away, here are a few tips you can follow:

  • Throw away stagnant water, as these are the prime places for mosquitoes to lay eggs
  • Wear loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing when going out, as mosquitoes tend to gravitate towards darker clothing
  • Use screens on your doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out
  • Wash yourself off regularly to get rid of the sweat that might attract mozzies
  • Use high-quality insect repellents, such as our Aerogard mosquito repellents

If you’re a mozzie magnet, grab proper mosquito repellents instead to keep the suckers at bay. Unlike home remedies, these insect repellents are made with ingredients proven to keep mozzies away. We even have a mosquito repellent without skin contact to ensure you’re protected from mozzies without any fabric stains on your clothes.

While you can’t control certain factors that make you a prime meal for mozzies, you can control how you’re affected by knowing the right ways to protect against them. Remember the tips above to make sure you and your loved ones are safe from those pesky mozzies and their bites.

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