Why do mozzies love me

Your metabolic rate is measured as the amount of carbon dioxide your body releases while it burns energy. Being pregnant or overweight, drinking alcohol , and physically exerting yourself can all raise your metabolic rate, Walker says. Remember those flowers mosquitoes like to eat? At nighttime, this is less of a factor.

While you can skip perfume and wear a fresh pair of socks to keep mosquitoes at bay , there are plenty of other factors that are out of your control. What you can do is avoid being outside when mosquitos are the most active dawn and dusk and wear insect repellent , Pereira says. But some mosquitoes specifically target people. One of the worst culprits is the Aedes aegypti species, which spreads dengue and yellow fever viruses.

Another that prefers humans are the Anopheles mosquitoes, responsible for spreading the parasites that cause malaria. Read more: Curious Kids: When we get bitten by a mosquito, why does it itch so much? When they need blood, mosquitoes can pick up on the carbon dioxide we exhale. Read more: The worst year for mosquitoes ever?

Here's how we find out. When the mosquito gets closer, she is responding to a range of stimuli. And you can control some of those secondary cues, Day says.

For example: Dark clothing is more attractive to mosquitoes than light oufits. Down there, they spot hosts by comparing your silhouette to the horizon. Dark colors stand out, while light shades blend in, he says.

At the same time, lots of motion distinguishes you from your surroundings. So what are the best ways to avoid itchy bites? Mosquitoes use many methods to locate us. Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide humans and other animals emit. They also use their receptors and vision to pick up on other cues like body heat, perspiration and skin odor to find a potential host. Yep, mosquitoes seem to be more attracted to dark-colored clothing.