Is it the way we smell, or the softness of our skin?
2006-10-06 00:41:13 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
Mosquitoes use their antennas in order to detect odors in the air. They are even able to detect CO2 levels in the air and home on its source. Since humans produce CO2 constantly, mosquitoes are able to detect their location without much effort.
The mixture of body odor actually makes a mosquitoes prefer one person over the other. So the answer to your first question is: yes.
Regarding the softness of the skin: once a mosquitoe located a 'good smelling' human it will land on it and try to locate a soft part of the body where the skin is rather thin because the mosquitoe must insert its beak in order to pump blood out of a vein. I would guess (this is my own private opinion) that the mosquito has a way of feeling the heat of the human body. Since patches of thin skin are also close to the veins, their area should be warmer. But again - it is possible that the mosquito simply tries some skin areas before it is successful.
hope this helps in any way :-)
2006-10-06 00:55:03 · answer #1 · answered by Micron 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are correct. Mosquitoes have their own host preferences. The first host preference for most of the mosquitoes are cattle.And in the absence of this host they may bit human being. All these is depending on the odor attraction of the target. So, some people can attract easily and some not.
2006-10-06 07:53:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first answer is very close...... People give off a certain scent that seems to be very attractive to bugs in general. I am a smoker and this seems to hide most of the scent they find appealing.... Not saying anyone should smoke, but just as an example in my experience. I rarely if ever get bit by mesquitos. So, if you wear strong perfumes or colognes or have a natural body odor thats just the right scent, you'll have quite a few of those unwanted visitors..... :)
2006-10-06 07:46:49 · answer #3 · answered by cajunpalomino 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It has something to do with your smell. Mosquitoes bite only those who smell the best for their nose. But if there is only one person in the room they will bite this person if they really need blood
2006-10-06 09:15:10 · answer #4 · answered by lena L 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's becuase they bite you to feed on your blood, they fill up quickly so have no need to feed again once they have had a bit from one victim. It is smell which attracts, bad sweaty smells indicate a human and a blood supply. They hate no human, chemical smells. If you are in a badly infested place the best way to stop them is spray your skin with cheap vodka, honestly! They hate it!!
2006-10-06 07:53:41 · answer #5 · answered by bumbleboi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually they don't !
Mozzies bite all people equally, the 'illusion' that one person has been bitten and another has not is actually in the reaction that a person has to being bitten (or more accurately there reaction to the toxins that the mozzie injects into your skin)...some people get red swollen itchy spots and some people have no reaction at all !
2006-10-06 07:46:30 · answer #6 · answered by psycgirl25 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mosquitoes detect body heat and to say that some people get bitten more than others its a myth.
2006-10-06 07:51:34 · answer #7 · answered by tiger 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the ones they bite including me i have to say they love the smell of you first then your blood
2006-10-06 08:54:46 · answer #8 · answered by twinsters 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eat loads of Marmite. The bloodsuckers hate it! Whilst on holiday in Spain my other half (who hates marmite) was eaten alive by bugs. I was left well alone (and I love it).
2006-10-06 07:59:05 · answer #9 · answered by mongo_bongocat 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
think its summat to do with different types of blood not too sure what though!
i must have mosquito repelent blood coz i rarely get bit!
2006-10-06 07:43:31 · answer #10 · answered by Caroline N 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋