Carbon dioxide is mosquitoes' 1st clue, says Rickard Ignell
Ever feel like mosquitoes are out to get you?
Turns out, it's all about what you breathe out and how your body smells.
Mosquitoes are drawn in by carbon dioxide from your breath, body heat, humidity, and certain human odors.
As Swedish scientist Rickard Ignell puts it, carbon dioxide is their first clue. They can sense it from quite a distance.
Beer and 1-octen-3-ol increase bite risk
If you produce more of a skin compound called 1-octen-3-ol, mosquitoes find you even more irresistible—this includes pregnant women in their second trimester!
Even drinking beer can boost your chances of getting bitten because it changes your scent and raises body temperature.
Climate change is also spreading mosquito species to new places.
To dodge bites, experts suggest using repellents, wearing loose clothes, skipping that extra drink, and using mosquito nets.