You’ve probably noticed that some people seem to attract more mosquitoes than others. I once hunted caribou in Northern Quebec where mosquitoes were horrendous, yet my guide never used any type of repellent, even as we stalked along boggy streambeds where the creatures swarmed. Perhaps he had learned to deal with the pests and could ignore them, or were there other reasons? Bob Robb researches the mosquito attraction issue in this Bowhunting World article.
Summertime, and early deer seasons, are a time of biting insects, especially mosquitoes. And it’s true — mosquitoes do exhibit preferences, experts say. As an aside, it’s not a free meal they’re sucking out of you. Female mosquitoes — males do not bite people — need human blood to develop fertile eggs. And apparently, not just anyone’s. So, who do mosquitoes like Best? According to Joe Conlon, PhD, technical advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association, “There’s a tremendous amount of research being conducted on what compounds and odors people exude that might be attractive to mosquitoes. Researchers are just beginning to scratch the surface.” Scientists do know that genetics account for a whopping 85 percent of a human’s susceptibility to mosquito bites. They’ve also identified certain elements of body chemistry that, when found in excess on the skin’s surface, make mosquitoes swarm closer.
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