Myth or Truth: Do People With More Mosquito Bites Really Have Sweeter Blood?

While some people have no problem with mosquitos, others get bitten all the time.

British scientist Richard Halfpenny explains in one scientific essayWhy that is – he found out what criteria mosquitoes use to select their victims.

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Appetite stimulants like sweet blood and sweat are not the cause at all?

There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes, but very few of them feed on human blood. Those who do are annoying and it would certainly help if you knew what mosquitoes use to choose their involuntary blood donors.

In the vernacular, there are numerous appetite stimulants: sweet blood, light skin or sweat are among them. In contrast, eating garlic, onions, or apple cider vinegar is said to keep the insects away.

However, according to Richard Halfpenny, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Staffordshire, all of these factors are negligible.

The natural flora of the skin is what attracts mosquitoes, the scientist explains.

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That really attracts mosquitoes

In fact, mosquitoes are less likely to be attracted to what’s in the human body – blood or diet play a subordinate role in their choice.

First, the insects are attracted to the carbon dioxide emitted by humans, which tells them that a host is nearby. But the CO₂ does not reveal whether this host will also taste good.

This requires the natural skin flora, which consists of non-pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The bacteria and fungi collect in the pores of the skin and the follicles of the hair and emit a kind of odor signal that shows the mosquitoes whether a bite is worthwhile or not.

Since around a million bacteria can collect on one square centimeter of skin, a person’s olfactory signal is highly individual.

It is influenced by the environment – that is, by where you live, what you eat and drink, what you wash your body or clothes with – and much more.

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Crucial knowledge is still missing

Although scientists have already found out what mosquitoes choose their victims by, it has not yet been conclusively clarified how exactly the skin flora must be made for mosquitoes to feel attracted.

This last step of knowledge would certainly be the most interesting, as work could then be done to keep mosquitoes away from people in the long term.

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