Why Do Mosquitoes Like Some People? Why Do They Target Them?
As soon as mosquito season arrives, they show hell. Apart from inhaling blood when it gets on the skin, it causes various diseases. Some become the targets of these insects. Let’s find out why they do that.
Key Points
Mosquito season is hell. Not only do they pierce the skin like needles and suck blood, they also make us sick. Some become easier targets for these insects. Why is this? How are mosquitoes attracted to humans? Here is the analysis of insect experts.
Carbon Dioxide, Odor Signals
Mosquitoes use sight, sound, and smell to detect blood during the day. At night, they rely entirely on smell. They mainly smell carbon dioxide. All vertebrates, including humans, release this gas through their respiration. Based on this premise, these insects can sense humans who are a few metres away. But carbon dioxide is emitted from inanimate sources like vehicles. In this background, mosquitoes follow additional ways to make sure that the gas they smell is released from animals. They can smell the lactic acid, ammonia, and fatty acids released from animals through metabolism like breathing and movement.
Genetic factors determine the metabolic rate. It also increases as a result of physical activity. That’s why athletes who have run are more likely to get bitten by mosquitoes while doing cooldown exercises. The metabolic rate is high in pregnant women. Hence, they also become targets for these insects.
Mosquitoes also rely on innate odours to detect blood. For example, Anopheles mosquitoes are attracted to certain types of odours emanating from human feet. This type of insect spreads malaria in humans. They suck blood at night in houses. They bite on the feet. They do not go to the top, where carbon dioxide is produced more. so that they can do their job smoothly without disturbing the sleep of the victim.
Visual Cues
Mosquitoes identify a blood source by using visual cues during the day. These insects usually fly very low to the ground. This feature helps them sense their victims.
A Psychological Aspects
Some people don’t care much about mosquitoes around them. Others try to chase and kill them, even if it is only one mosquito that bothers them. Some mosquitoes suck the blood of the body parts that are not suitable for us to kill with our hands. Aedes aegypti is a type of mosquito. They bite parts of human ankles.
Only Female Mosquitoes Suck Blood.
Insects like mosquitoes and cockroaches make eggs by using the protein in the blood. Therefore, only female mosquitoes suck blood. Male mosquitoes feed on nectar from plants. Female mosquitoes rely on certain factors to quickly and efficiently detect blood, swallow it, and retreat safely.
Mosquitoes recognise dark colours quickly. Light colours blend into the surroundings. Therefore, the colour of the clothes we wear can also attract mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can also sense movement through their sight.
