whenever i am sitting outside with a group of people, the mosquitoes always attack me the most. one of my friends guesses it might have to do with higher blood sugar. is this true? if not that, then why?
Carbon dioxide is a major attractant for mosquitos. Likewise, there may be other chemicals you are giving off or wearing that attract them.
I read this recently in the NY Times (free registration required) http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/16/science/16QNA.html
The article begins with the usual suspects: CO[sub]2[/sub], body heat and moisture, perfume. Then it says
Eat garlic. Wards off more than Dracula.
I remember reading a book about 20 years ago named “Sugar Blues” in which it said that mosquitos are attracted mostly to people who consume sugar. Those who do not eat sugar are not often attacked by the mosquito.
Not so much a factual answer, as a different way to view the question. My experience is that I rarely suffer from mosquito bites, while others will be eaten alive. I’ve realized that I still get bitten, but am able to kill the mosquito, before she has a chance to get anything out of me. If I do this, I don’t ever get a bump. Other people I’ve talked with, who seem to suffer large welts when bitten, tell me, even if they kill the mosquito before she has blood in her, they still get a welt.
So all of that to say - I think it’s not so much that some people are bitten more often. It’s that some people have more of a reaction to the mosquito’s venom.
Mosquitos do not have venom.
so the best solution would be to… stop breathing?
You’re right, it’s an anticoagulant in their saliva which causes the swelling in some people. Replace the word “saliva” where venom appears in my above post.
Let me clarify for him.
The mosquitoes’ anti-coagulating agent which causes a histamine reaction. At least I think that’s it.
I vaguely recall reading something alone the lines that cichlidiot wrote about. I think everyone gets bitten but some people like me react badly to the bite and so think they are being singled out. The bites give me big swollen lumps which itch intensely and its a conscious effort of will to refrain from scratching the area til its raw and bleeding. Consequently my flesh is mainly covered up even in the Australian summer to avoid the discomfort. Others dont seem to react at all. Also certain body parts for me react more, and I especially hate getting bitten on the lower arms and feet.
We talked about this in over here (Why do some people get more mosquito bites?). It has a few good links also.