WHY MOSQUITOES ARE ATTRACTED TO HUMANS

knows
what
troublesome
pests
mosquitoes can be. But what attracts
mosquitoes to humans in the first place?
Why is it that some people seem almost
completely immune to these little
buggers?
Why,
in
a
crowd,
do
mosquitoes tend to be partial to one
victim over another?
Anyone who
has suffered through
the pain and irritation of mosquito bites

The explanation, as it turns out, is both simple and complex, and requires a thorough
understanding of mosquito behaviour. When you know how mosquitoes are attracted to
you, you can better prevent their painful, itchy bites.
Q: WHY DO MOSQUITOES BITE?
A: Only female mosquitoes bite. Theyve evolved a proboscis, a long, tubular mouth, not
unlike that seen on butterflies that can puncture the skin and suck blood. They seek to
feed on blood to get the nutrients required to produce eggs. A male mosquitos
primary role is reproduction.
Q: WHAT ARE MOSQUITOES ATTRACTED TO?
A: Mosquitoes are attracted to moist areas to breed and produce eggs. That's why its
very important to prevent standing water in your yard and other areas around your
home.
Q: WHAT ATTRACTS MOSQUITOES TO HUMANS?
A: Your blood. As previously mentioned, female mosquitoes feed on blood in order to
provide nutrients to their eggs.
Your breath, In addition to a proboscis that can puncture human skin, female
mosquitoes sport long antennae and olfactory (odour-sensing) organs called palps.
These instruments are attuned to the odor of carbon dioxide, or CO2, which we
produce every time we exhale. High concentrations of CO2, which mosquitoes can
detect from more than 150 feet away, offer an initial temptation to hungry
mosquitoes. However, CO2 isnt the only determinant of who gets bitten, and how
badly.
Your smell, Entomologists at the University of California, Riverside, have determined
that certain odors released via perspiration are more likely to attract mosquitos.
Substances such as uric acid, lactic acid and ammonia can also be released by
bacteria that live in human skin. And, the higher your body temperature, the more
likely you are to sweat. These facts help to account for why mosquito bites will
frequently be clustered around the feet, ankles, wrists and hands, as all these areas of
the body tend to be exposed to the elements, to collect and retain moisture and to
play host to larger bacterial colonies.
Reasons completely beyond your control, There is no single determining factor
explaining why mosquitoes bite who they bite. Researchers in Japan have
demonstrated that individuals with Type O blood are more likely to be bitten than
individuals with Type A blood. Your metabolism, with its capacity to raise and lower
your body temperature, is a factor as well. Scientists have established that an
individuals genetic make-up can account for 85 percent of the various factors that
make them a mosquito magnet.
Q: WHEN DO MOSQUITOES FEED?
A: Mosquitoes are most active during the hours of sunset and sunrise, but there are day
biters, too.
Q: DO MOSQUITOES BITE OTHER SPECIES?
A: Human beings arent alone in dealing with mosquitoes. Certain species of mosquito
attack birds, others mammals and some even selectively target fish and reptiles.
However, in situations where a given species preferred food supply is low or
threatened, the mosquito will not hesitate to be opportunistic and feed on whatever it
can.

Question

1. Which type of mosquitoes will be biting the human?

Ans: Female mosquitoes

2. When do mosquitoes are most active?

Ans: The hours of sunset and sunrise

3. Why mosquitoes attracts to humans?

Ans: Blood/breath/smell