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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 12:17:53 GMT
Over many years I have heard umpteen theories as to why some people seem to attract mosquitoes and not others.
Everything from body temperature, natural body scent, perfumed bodies etc.
I am one of those people who can be in a crowd of people and if there's a mosquito buzzing about it will find me.
I had pretty much deduced that the body temperature theory held true as my body temperature consistently runs at 99.5 degrees.
This a.m. on NPR I heard a segment where a scientist studied this for many years.
His conclusion: GENETICS
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 15:53:03 GMT
Huh! I am one of those attractive people as well. As a young child growing up in Ontario I wore long trousers all summer long because my legs were one bloody mess. My parents traveled with epinepherine for me for bee stings. And don't even get me started on fleas! So I draw any kind of biting insect. I have no idea if my temperature runs high, but I doubt it. Perhaps I secrete some sort of chemical.
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Post by bjd on Apr 23, 2015 17:12:36 GMT
So am I. When my sister and I arrived in Canada from England, my parents thought it would be a good idea to send us to summer camp in northern Ontario. The mosquitoes loved us! Fresh blood.
If there is a mosquito in the room and lots of other people, I will be the target. It must be some kind of pheromone.
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Post by onlyMark on Apr 23, 2015 17:14:04 GMT
I'm afraid you both are mistaken. Mosquitoes are like men. They are attracted to beautiful women. That is why you both suffer so badly.
Mrs M believes me anyway when I tell her after she's been bitten and I haven't.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 17:43:28 GMT
This researcher ruled out the body temperature theory, pheromones and beautiful women
(BTW, it's the female mosquito that bites)
He said it was GENETIC
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 17:48:22 GMT
Yes, but the mosquitoes aren't running DNA tests on us, there must be some sort of external clue that we'd be good to eat.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 17:58:04 GMT
I need to go back and listen to the podcast.
There was something about a chemical we possess.
If they could isolate it there's a good chance that they could come up with some other alternative to topical application of DEET and the like.
It was 5 a.m. when I heard this so, can't quote verbatim his findings, sorry.
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Post by mich64 on Apr 23, 2015 19:32:07 GMT
Lavender oil helps with keeping them from biting but not buzzing around me. These next few weeks will be wonderful for being around the bonfire but after our May long weekend they become unbearable at dusk for about 2 months. The heat of the summer days keeps them in the bush.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 19:58:28 GMT
Oh, mich, I'm so glad I don't live in Ontario anymore. So few mosquitos on the coast. How are the blackflies your way! Now that is hell!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2015 20:25:37 GMT
I attracted mosquitoes as a child but not anymore. I continue to believe that mosquitoes choose the person with the highest body temperature in a group.
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Post by mich64 on Apr 23, 2015 21:06:35 GMT
I do agree also Kerouac. Lizzy they have not started yet, we still have ice on the lake! They do not usually begin until a few weeks after the ice has gone, thankfully it has begun to break up. When I woke this morning everything was covered in snow but by about 3:00 p.m. it had all melted.  We get blackflies first and then as the daily temperature warms there will also be mosquitos. The black flies are worse, they swarm and are out all day in the spring. That is why I try to plant my annuals before May 24 weekend. |
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Post by bjd on Apr 24, 2015 6:13:51 GMT
From what I read on the net yesterday, attraction seems to be based on emissions of carbon dioxide -- I don't know if that is linked to body temperature or not.
I killed the first mosquito of the season in our room last night. I don't mind being bitten as much as I hate the noise they make when they buzz around your ears.
We are going to Canada in 2 weeks and I am not looking forward to the bugs. My son says they don't have blackflies there, but there are enough other horrible little creatures to make life miserable. I wish they would return to France.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2015 10:10:58 GMT
From what I read on the net yesterday, attraction seems to be based on emissions of carbon dioxide -- I don't know if that is linked to body temperature or not. I killed the first mosquito of the season in our room last night. I don't mind being bitten as much as I hate the noise they make when they buzz around your ears. We are going to Canada in 2 weeks and I am not looking forward to the bugs. My son says they don't have blackflies there, but there are enough other horrible little creatures to make life miserable. I wish they would return to France. The bugs??? I've heard of the CO2 theory as well. |
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 24, 2015 10:15:17 GMT
From what I read on the net yesterday, attraction seems to be based on emissions of carbon dioxide -- I don't know if that is linked to body temperature or not. I killed the first mosquito of the season in our room last night. I don't mind being bitten as much as I hate the noise they make when they buzz around your ears. We are going to Canada in 2 weeks and I am not looking forward to the bugs. My son says they don't have blackflies there, but there are enough other horrible little creatures to make life miserable. I wish they would return to France. I'm with you on the noise. Only happens in Spain though for me. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2015 11:12:47 GMT
I have tried for the last 20 minutes to post the link to the podcast referred to. In vain...
So, if some kind soul or those of you who would like to read and or listen to the podcast:
NPR
Morning Edition
April 23
Why Mosquitoes Love Us
Thank you
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Post by bjd on Apr 24, 2015 11:14:18 GMT
From what I read on the net yesterday, attraction seems to be based on emissions of carbon dioxide -- I don't know if that is linked to body temperature or not. I killed the first mosquito of the season in our room last night. I don't mind being bitten as much as I hate the noise they make when they buzz around your ears. We are going to Canada in 2 weeks and I am not looking forward to the bugs. My son says they don't have blackflies there, but there are enough other horrible little creatures to make life miserable. I wish they would return to France. The bugs??? I've heard of the CO2 theory as well. Re-reading I realized it sounds stupid. Of course, I mean our kids.  |
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Post by bjd on Apr 24, 2015 11:24:13 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2015 11:26:20 GMT
THAT'S IT!!! Merci!!!!
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Post by fumobici on Apr 24, 2015 15:59:24 GMT
The bugs??? I've heard of the CO2 theory as well. Re-reading I realized it sounds stupid. Of course, I mean our kids. Do your kids think of themselves as being Canadian or French? |
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Post by bjd on Apr 24, 2015 16:23:35 GMT
French, I think. My son certainly feels French, and my daughter-in-law is half-French and half-Colombian. Most of their friends in Canada are South Americans or various Europeans. Not many "real" Canadians.
I'll have to ask.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2015 16:46:19 GMT
Fine about the CO2, but what would that be indicative of to the mosquitoes? It's not as though they want to breathe it -- they want to breathe oxygen like the rest of us.
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Post by fumobici on Apr 24, 2015 19:03:42 GMT
French, I think. My son certainly feels French, and my daughter-in-law is half-French and half-Colombian. Most of their friends in Canada are South Americans or various Europeans. Not many "real" Canadians. I'll have to ask. It's OK, it's a bit of a personal question in any case. I've met the children (some not so young) in Italy of ex-pat parents from Canada and the UK who did some or all of their schooling in Italy and its not always a simple question. I think a lot hinges on what language is spoken in the house the children are raised in. |
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Post by bjd on Apr 25, 2015 8:20:35 GMT
French, I think. My son certainly feels French, and my daughter-in-law is half-French and half-Colombian. Most of their friends in Canada are South Americans or various Europeans. Not many "real" Canadians. I'll have to ask. It's OK, it's a bit of a personal question in any case. I've met the children (some not so young) in Italy of ex-pat parents from Canada and the UK who did some or all of their schooling in Italy and its not always a simple question. I think a lot hinges on what language is spoken in the house the children are raised in. At the moment, the mother speaks Spanish and the father speaks French to the kids so they are bilingual. A few words of English also appear out of the blue, but the kids are really small still. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 13:51:37 GMT
Fine about the CO2, but what would that be indicative of to the mosquitoes? It's not as though they want to breathe it -- they want to breathe oxygen like the rest of us. Why not try reading the info in the link? |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2015 16:07:15 GMT
Oh, you have to read links here? That's as difficult as posting pictures.  |
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Post by rikita on May 13, 2015 7:58:29 GMT
hm, mosquitos never liked me much (so it can't be the beautiful women theory, obviously), except while i was pregnant. during that time i got bitten a lot. maybe it was agnes' genes inside me, then? because she gets bitten much more than i do ... as does mr. r. ... a. got her last bite of last year in november or december, when i didn't even know there are still any around ...
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Post by bjd on Jul 18, 2015 12:43:04 GMT
Another article about how mosquitoes find us: CO2 + colour + heat mosquito attractionAnd to answer Kerouac's question about the CO2 -- it's how they track down humans who are breathing it out. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2015 16:52:36 GMT
Shouldn't they be attacking our faces instead of legs then?
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Post by bjd on Jul 18, 2015 19:17:19 GMT
I can personally attest they attack anything they can reach. I would think the carbon dioxide just lets them know where the victim is. After they home in on the heat of the person.
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