Are You a Mosquito Magnet? Here’s Why and What to Do About It

If you find yourself easily swarmed by mosquitos, you may wonder why these blood-sucking insects seem to love you so much — especially when other people nearby seem untouched.

“Some people are, indeed, mosquito magnets,” says Jeff Riffell, PhD, a biology professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, who researches mosquitoes’ sensory behaviors and information processing.

These “little vampires,” as he calls them, “have evolved over tens of thousands of years to really focus on humans.” But why do they zero in on you instead of your friends?

It boils down to whether mosquitoes like how you taste and smell, says Dr. Riffell, who shares that he himself isn’t a mosquito magnet, but has family members who are.

Fortunately, there are still ways for the tasty among us to repel the pests.

There are thousands of mosquito species, but only about 100 bite people, Riffell says. They choose who to bite “by focusing on the cues that we’re providing,” he explains.

Breath, Body Heat, and Sweat

Even from a distance, mosquitoes can detect how much carbon dioxide we release when we exhale, Riffell says; higher levels attract them.

Once the insects get closer, they gravitate toward people with higher body temperatures. They also love the scent of sweat.

These cues get amplified when you’re more active, Riffell says. As your heart rate increases, you’re exhaling more carbon dioxide, producing more heat, and perspiring more — and you become really attractive to mosquitos.

“Those of us who are ‘super attractors’ have more carboxylic acids in our body odor,” Riffell says. “However, researchers are still trying to identify the specific compounds involved in attraction, and these may differ among individuals.”

Skin Microbiome

Your skin microbiome — which includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, oils, and other substances — can also contribute to a mosquito’s attraction to you, Riffell says.

Alcohol

That afternoon Chardonnay or sunset martini can make you more enticing to mosquitoes. When you drink, your heart rate increases, your blood flow increases, and you might sweat more, all of which can intensify your mosquito magnetism, Riffell says.

Blood Type?

Do Mosquito Wristbands or Citronella Candles Prevent Bites?

There’s no evidence that wristbands and other products promising to repel mosquitoes actually do so, Riffell says.

Besides Bug Spray, Here’s What Else You Can Do to Reduce Mosquito Bites

Mosquitoes can be around any time of day, Riffell says, so it’s important to take steps to protect yourself whenever you’re outdoors in warm weather.

Along with using DEET, here are a few other tips to reduce your risk for mosquito bites:

• Wear light-colored clothing. If you really need to wear a bright color, opt for green (mosquitoes dislike it) and avoid red and blue (mosquitoes love them).
• Cover up with long sleeves and long pants. Exposed skin is vulnerable to bites.
• Remove standing water around your home or in your yard. This is where mosquitoes often lay their eggs.
• Use window screens. This helps prevent mosquitoes from invading your house.
• Set up a fan on your back porch or deck. Mosquitoes aren’t good flyers and don’t like intense airflow, Riffell says.

If you do get bitten, don’t scratch, no matter how much you want to, says Yoshua Quinones, MD, an internal medicine physician at Medical Offices of Manhattan in New York City. Scratching bites could break the skin barrier, raising your risk for an infection, or make the bump more inflamed, causing it to itch more.

An over-the-counter hydrocortisone ointment can also help with itching and inflammation, says Brintha Vasagar, MD, a family physician in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“For more widespread itching, antihistamine medications can also help, but carry some side effects like drowsiness,” Dr. Vasagar says.

Mosquito bites are annoying but they can also transmit diseases. West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the United States, Vasagar says.

Vasagar says the case counts may be underestimated since “the majority of people affected do not develop any symptoms at all,” or some have mild symptoms.

• Fever
• Chills
• Nausea
• Joint pain
• Headaches
• Body aches

See a doctor if you have these symptoms or if your bites are getting worse, Vasagar suggests. Also, seek medical care if you have a rash, swollen lymph nodes, weakness, trouble breathing, or confusion, Quinones says.