https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2022-01-03/mosquitoes-why-are-they-attracted-to-some-more-than-others/100662680 Skip to main content ABC News Homepage SearchLog InLog InMore from ABC More from ABC Close menuABC * ABC Home * News * Radio * iview * Everyday * More Editorial Policies Read our editorial guiding principles * Accessibility * Help * Contact Us * About the ABC * Privacy Policy * Terms of Use * (c) 2021 ABC * * * * * Just In * Watch Live * Coronavirus * Politics * World * Business * Analysis * Sport * Science * Health * Arts * Fact Check * Other News HomeABC News Homepage Science Why are mosquitoes attracted to some people more than others? Share Article share options Share this on * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn Send this by * Email * Messenger * Copy link * WhatsApp News Ticker Watch live Greg Hunt is giving a COVID-19 update COVID blog Follow our live coverage for the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic 1 / of 2 Get breaking news alerts directly to your phone with our app Science Why are mosquitoes attracted to some people more than others? ABC Science / By Anna Salleh Posted 4h ago4 hours agoSun 2 Jan 2022 at 6:37pm, updated 2h ago2 hours agoSun 2 Jan 2022 at 8:10pm A female Aedes aegypti mosquito bites someone's skin.A female Aedes aegypti mosquito bites someone's skin. Blood-sucking mozzies can really ruin a good party.(Flickr: James Gathany) Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article Print content (*)Print with images and other media ( )Print text only PrintCancel abc.net.au/news/ mosquitoes-why-are-they-attracted-to-some-more-than-others/100662680 Copy linkShare Article share options Share this on * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn Send this by * Email * Messenger * Copy link * WhatsApp If you're like me, you approach those late afternoon outdoor summer gatherings with trepidation. After all, if there are mozzies around, it will be you they head for above others. It will be you that's slapping and scratching at your skin while others enjoy their gin and tonic uninterrupted. "But why me?", I hear you groan. It's not for want of trying, but scientists still don't definitively know the answer to this -- although they think it's likely to be more than one thing. And they've been doing some pretty out-there experiments in the name of science to help answer the question. Dirty socks and Limburger cheese provide clues Did you know scientists have tested mosquitoes' taste in cheeses and found some species love the smell of blue cheese, while others prefer Limburger? Limburger cheeseLimburger cheese Some think Limburger cheese smells like dirty socks.(Getty Images: PicturePartners) In fact, US entomologist Dan Kline took this idea and ran with it back in the 1990s when he was visited by European colleagues bearing gifts of Limburger cheese. "To me, it smelt like dirty socks," says Dr Kline, based at a Department of Agriculture research centre in Florida. One day in the lab, things were "particularly boring" for him because the mosquitoes weren't being attracted to any of the scents he was presenting them with. So Dr Kline pulled off his smelly socks -- which he'd been wearing for four days -- and presented these to the insects. "It was the best response we ever saw." Smelly socks and feetSmelly socks and feet Experiments with smelly socks give clues on the type of chemicals that attract mosquitoes.(Getty Images: rudigobbo) It turns out that Limburger cheese contains similar bacteria to those found between our toes -- a fact not lost on the monks that originally developed the cheese, Dr Kline says. "The monks used their feet in the production of this cheese. Thus, the toe bacteria were involved in the production of Limburger cheese." The 'smell' of your skin While experimenting with dirty socks is not Dr Kline's usual MO, it did highlight the fact that mosquitoes are attracted to volatile chemicals we breathe out, or that are produced by bacteria acting on substances produced on the skin, including sweat. And some volatile chemicals people give off actually seem to protect them from mosquitoes. Dan Kline from the USDADan Kline from the USDA Dan Kline has spent a lifetime studying mosquitoes and what attracts them.(Supplied: USDA) Interestingly, one of Dr Kline's colleagues was apparently immune to mosquito bites, and analysis of her skin scents discovered she was exuding relatively high amounts of a chemical that blocks mosquitoes' sense of smell. "Her ratio of this compound compared to other compounds was higher," Dr Kline says. Findings like this are tantalising from the point of view of developing the ultimate natural mosquito repellent. But there are no simple answers here. Carbon dioxide and body heat Even before they get up close to your skin, mosquitoes will be attracted by the carbon dioxide you breathe out -- something they can detect at least 10 metres away. Your body heat also helps mosquitoes to zoom in on you. "A complex interaction of all of these cues will determine if you get bitten," says Dr Kline's chemist colleague Ed Norris. Differences in our genetics, and the cosmetic products we wear also add to the mix, making it a very tricky job to identify what exactly makes someone a mozzie magnet. A pregnant woman's belly.A pregnant woman's belly. There are some logical reasons why pregnant women might attract mosquitoes more than others, but it's not a given.(Unsplash: Xavier Mouton Photographie) Plus, different mosquitoes prefer different scents. "There are plenty of mosquitoes that are known to be ankle biters or face biters, so there's presumably different volatiles on those different parts of the body that are attracting them," Dr Norris says. Finally, your skin's tendency to react to any bites you get may also explain why some people blithely enjoy that outside party, while you don't. They may be being bitten but not even notice it! Will eating bananas/garlic/vitamin B make a difference? Still, many of us love a simple explanation -- and the promise of a more pleasant alternative to slathering ourselves in insect repellent -- so it's no wonder there are so many theories out there claiming to explain why mozzies prefer some people over others. For example, you may have heard eating bananas or drinking beer attracts mozzies, while eating garlic or vitamin B protects you. glass fo beerglass fo beer Drinking beer is supposed to attract mosquitoes, but experts say there is no convincing evidence.(ABC News: Thea Halpin) Sadly, says medical entomologist Cameron Webb at the University of Sydney, you can't hang your hat on any of these ideas. "While some food or drink may subtly change the attraction of mosquitoes, changing diet won't stop you having to use insect repellents," Dr Webb says. There's some evidence those with certain blood types are more attractive to mozzies, but Dr Kline says there's conflicting evidence and not enough research to settle the question. Piles of bananas on top of each otherPiles of bananas on top of each other Are bananas a mosquito attractant? Experts don't think so.(Pixabay: Alicja) And are men or women more likely to get bitten? Well, it depends. "Typically males tend to have more of the skin volatiles that mosquitoes are attracted to, but it's hard to generalise," Dr Norris says. There are also studies suggesting pregnant women are more likely to get bitten. This could be because they produce more CO2 and have higher temperatures in the late stages of pregnancy, which may lead to more volatiles being released from their skin. Take heart, not all mozzies are out to get you While mosquito-borne diseases are a problem, some species of mosquitoes don't even bite humans. Some prefer to bite animals such as frogs, snakes, birds or even leeches. And the really good news is there are a small number of mosquitoes that don't suck blood at all. Dr Webb points to the giant Toxorhynchites speciosus, which has a wingspan of 10 millimetres. A dead giant Toxorhynchites tessspillekom mosquito on a handA dead giant Toxorhynchites tessspillekom mosquito on a hand A giant Toxorhynchites tessspillekom mosquito.(Supplied: Cameron Webb ) "Stretched out from the end of their legs to tip of proboscis would be almost 30mm." The females of mosquito species that bite us rely on blood to help develop their eggs, but females of this giant species get their protein by eating the larvae of other mosquitoes. "They are as 'good' a mosquito as there can be," Dr Webb says. How to avoid mosquito bites * Cover up with long sleeves, pants and covered shoes * Use DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus repellents (essential oils and other plant-based products need to be reapplied more often) * Citronella sticks and candles can help but only if you are sitting close by * Sit near fans - mosquitoes can't fly in the wind * Don't bother with sonic devices or repellent wrist bands as they are generally pretty useless * Remove stagnant water in anything from gutters to pot plant drip trays -- mosquitoes only need a millilitre of water or so to breed in Loading Want more science from across the ABC? * Follow us on Twitter * Subscribe on YouTube Science in your inbox Get all the latest science stories from across the ABC. Your information is being handled in accordance with the ABC Privacy Collection Statement. Email address [ ] Subscribe Posted 4h ago4 hours agoSun 2 Jan 2022 at 6:37pm, updated 2h ago2 hours agoSun 2 Jan 2022 at 8:10pm Share * Copy link * Facebook * Twitter * Article share options Share this on + Facebook + Twitter + LinkedIn Send this by + Email + Messenger + Copy link + WhatsApp Related Stories Concern the 'barbecue stopper' could be coming to Australia as experts warn of La Nina mosquito surge A close up of a black mosquito with white dots.A close up of a black mosquito with white dots. More on: * Animal Behaviour * Australia * Biology * Health * Invertebrates - Insects and Arachnids * Science and Technology Top Stories * Live: PM resists calls to subsidise rapid COVID tests because 'you can't make everything free' * NSW records 20,794 new COVID-19 cases, four more people die * Victoria records 8,577 COVID-19 cases, three deaths and 491 hospitalisations * Chris was told he 'didn't have the head' for maths. 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