Yes this is absolutely true! I'm living proof because I'm always so much more bit up than everyone else which means I've also heard that joke "oh it's because you're so sweet" way too many times. If you feel this way as well, I'm relieved to tell you that it's not all in our heads! According to Ben Hottel, Ph.D., technical services manager at Orkin, LLC, it's been well documented that some individuals are more attractive to mosquitoes than others. It's not 100% clear as to why some of us attract those pesky little things more than others but there are some pretty solid theories.
- You're sweating a lot - Mosquitoes are big fans of lactic acid which can be produced in our skin and other areas of our body. We tend to give off more lactic acid when we sweat.
- You just finished at the gym...and stink a little - Mosquitoes are attracted to some of our body odors which we emit through our skin after eating certain foods or exercising.
- You're body is burning a lot of energy - Now for me this one makes sense because I'm constantly moving and can never sit still. Our metabolic rate is measured as the amount of carbon dioxide our bodies release while they burn energy. If you have a higher metabolic rate you're giving off more carbon dioxide in turn attracting more mosquitoes.
- It might have something to do with your blood type - If you've got type O blood I'm sorry. There's some evidence that mosquitoes are drawn to people withe type O blood more so than those with A or B.
- Your perfume or cologne might be the problem - If you've got one that has more of a floral smell you might want to ditch that for the summer. Mosquitoes like to eat the nectar of flowers so they'd be more attracted to a floral scent.
- You're wearing dark clothing - well if you see me outside this summer in nothing but neon orange, yellow and pink now you know why! Mosquitoes partially rely on their vision to find their hosts and dark-colored clothing can make it easier for them to find you.
To read more on this and prevent mosquito bites even if they are more attracted to you, head to Prevention.com.
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