# Mosquitoes & the Appeal of the Ear

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosquitoes-the-appeal-of-the-ear/207797>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 16, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosquitoes-the-appeal-of-the-ear/207797 "2003-10-16T16:13:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![smootman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@smootman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smootman)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosquitoes-the-appeal-of-the-ear/207797/1 "2003-10-16T16:13:38Z")

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Why do mosquitoes and gnats tend to try to fly in your ear? Is there any way to repel mosquitoes in ways similar to the hanging the bag of water outside for flies?  
Mosquitoes suck in florida.

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosquitoes-the-appeal-of-the-ear/207797/2 "2003-10-16T16:40:34Z")

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Bag of water = bunk

Mosquitoes are drawn to CO2 (carbon dioxide) that we mammals breathe out in modest doses, which draws the skeeters to your head.

DEET repels skeeters (found in repellents), and has been proven to do so.

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosquitoes-the-appeal-of-the-ear/207797/3 "2003-10-16T17:24:32Z")

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Mosquitoes suck EVERYWHERE, not just in Florida; that’s how they eat.

In any case, the answer to your question is that if you could hear with your elbow, you’d ask why mosquitoes are drawn to elbows. You think they’re always at your ear because _that’s where you’re most likely to hear them._

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**Author:** ![smootman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@smootman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smootman)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosquitoes-the-appeal-of-the-ear/207797/4 "2003-10-16T17:43:20Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by lissener \*  
> \*\* You think they’re always at your ear because _that’s where you’re most likely to hear them._ \*\*

Man, that’s a great line… elbows, yeah…